Fig. 2

Murine digital tendon adhesion model. (a) Schematic of surgical techniques used for murine digital tendon adhesion model. (b) Image of 50% laceration surgery in fourth (shown) digit between the A1 and A3 pulleys through a transverse skin incision. Dotted line indicates the exposed tendon. Scale bar = 2 mm. (c) A 50% partial laceration (visible between the arrows) is carried out in the exposed tendon. Dotted line indicates the exposed tendon. Scale bar = 500 μM. (d) The skin over the laceration is closed with a single suture. Scale bar = 2 mm. (e) The deep and superficial flexor tendons are exposed distal to the ankle in the left hind limb by a transverse skin incision. The superficial flexor tendon can be visualised as the white area within the dotted lines. Scale bar = 2 mm. (f) A tenotomy is performed, fully dividing the deep and superficial tendons. The ends are buried, the arrow indicates the buried superficial flexor tendon still visible under the skin. Dotted line indicates transverse skin incision. Scale bar = 1 mm. Scale bar = 2 mm. (g) H&E image showing 50% of divided tendon fibres (arrows). T indicates the tendon and S the surrounding structures. Magnification × 4, scale bar = 200 μM. (h) Graphical representation of laceration validation. n = 6. Immobilisation vs mobilisation adhesion formation validation was performed. H&E stained section of tendon in WT mouse 21 days after partial laceration and (i) freely mobilised (j) immobilised. Dotted lines indicate adhesions. T, tendon; E, epidermis; D, dermis. Magnification × 4. (k) Graphical representation of the percentage of WT digits that formed adhesions at D21 in both mobilised and immobilised paws ± SEM. n = 6. (l) Graphical representation of adhesion size in WT digits at D21 in both mobilised and immobilised paws ± SEM. n = 6