Effects of siRNA treatment on the extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and collagen fibril diameter.

The influence of siRNA treatment on relative collagen deposition (A) and relative mean diameter (B) (* P<0.05 compared with negative control group, n = 3). The influence of siRNA silencing on the expression of some ECM genes and their proportions to collagen type I in tissue engineered tendon (C: Col1 α1; D: Col3 α1; E: Decorin; F: Col5 α1/ Col1 α1; G: Col5 α2/Col1 α1; H: Col3 α1/Col1 α1; I: Decorin/Col1 α1), (*P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001 compared with normal tendon group, n = 3).