SKIN WOUNDS AND SEVERED NERVES HEAL NORMALLY IN MICE LACKING TENASCIN-C

A large number of functions have been demonstrated for tenascin-C by a ntibody perturbation assays and in vitro cell culture experiments, How ever, these results contrast sharply with the lack of any apparent phe notype in mice with a genetic deletion of tenascin-C. A possible expla nation for the lack of phenotype would be expression of some altered b ut functional tenascin-C in the mutant, We report the generation of at r independent tenascin-C null mouse and conclude that the original ten ascin-C knockout, which is genetically very similar to ours, is also a true null. As found previously, the absence of tenascin-C has no infl uence on development, adulthood, life span, and fecundity, We have stu died in detail two models of wound healing, After axotomy, the regener ation of the sciatic nerve is not altered without tenascin-C. During h ealing of cutaneous wounds, deposition of collagen I, fibulin-2, and n idogen is identical in mutant and wild-type mice. In contrast, fibrone ctin appears diminished in wounds of tenascin-C-deficient mice. Howeve r, the lack of tenascin-C together with the reduced amount of fibronec tin has no influence on the quality of the healing process.