Expression of Collagen Types I, II, IX, and X in the Mineralizing Turkey Gastrocnemius Tendon

The turkey gastrocnemius tendon mineralizes by intramembranous ossification with a transient chondrogenic phase. The mineralizing zone has hypertrophic chondrocytes similar to endochondral bone formation. These similarities prompted the evaluation of this tendon for the presence of type X collagen in the mineralizing zone. Tendons were removed, radiographed, decalcified, and embedded for frozen sections. Seral sections were H&E stained and immunostained individually with antibodies specific collagens (types I, II, IX, and X). Type I collagen was distributed widely throughout the mineralized tendon extracellular matrix. Types II and IX collagen were at the mineralized/non‐mineralized junction. Type X collagen was in the pericellular matrix of hypertrophic chondrocytes and in some calcified matrix. These data support the theory that the gastrocnemius tendon has fibrocartilage characteristics and that type X collagen has a role in the tissue's mineralization. Anat Rec, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.