Regulatory effects of introduction of an exogenous FGF2 gene on other growth factor genes in a healing tendon.

In this study of a tendon injury model, we investigated how injection of a vector incorporating one growth factor gene changes expression levels of multiple growth factor genes in the healing process. The flexor tendon of chicken toes was completely cut and repaired surgically. The tendons in the experimental arm were injected with an adeno-associated virus-2 vector incorporating basic fibroblast growth-factor gene, whereas the tendons in the control arm were not injected or injected with sham vectors.