Fibro-adipogenic progenitors prevent skeletal muscle degeneration at acute phase upon tendon rupture in a murine tibialis anterior tenotomy model

Figure 7 The progression of muscle fibrotic degeneration after tendon rupture in fibro-adipogenic progenitor-depleted mice. A: The modified Masson trichrome staining results of the tibialis anterior muscle at 0 day, 1 week, and 6 weeks after tibialis anterior tenotomy (TAT) in PdgfraCre^ERT::Rosa^DTA mice induced with Tamoxifen or corn oil; B: The statistical analysis of area fraction of collagen which represents the severity of fibrosis (^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.001, compared to control group); C: The alpha-smooth muscle actin immunohistochemistry staining results of the tibialis anterior muscle at 0 day, 1 week, and 6 weeks after TAT in PdgfraCre^ERT::Rosa^DTA mice induced with Tamoxifen or corn oil; D: The statistical analysis of the area fraction of positive stained area which represents the tendency of fibrosis. Area fraction of collagen (%) = area of collagen staining of the entire sample area (^aP < 0.01, compared to control group). TAT: Tibialis anterior tenotomy.