Growth factors and their receptors play an essential role in the development, maturation, and response to injury of all tissues. A number of studies have explored the possibility of improving ligament healing with exogenous growth factors. However, limited data is available regarding the endogenous growth factor network in ligaments on which any exogenous growth factors must impact. The purpose of this study was to assess the endogenous growth factor network with molecular techniques. By the sensitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique, transcripts for a number of growth factors and receptors were detected with RNA isolated from normal and healing rabbit medial collateral ligament tissues. These include transforming growth factor-beta1, insulin-like growth factors I and II, basic fibroblast growth factor, endothelin-1, and the receptors for insulin and insulin-like growth factor II. Semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis of RNA from normal and scar tissues from the medial collateral ligament revealed that the levels of several transcripts were elevated in the scar tissue. It was not possible to confirm biological activity because of the hypocellularity of the tissues; however, the results obtained indicate that the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction approach to defining the endogenous growth factor-receptor phenotype is feasible, and further definition should contribute to the development of rational approaches to exogenous therapy to improve healing.

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