In vivo expression of thrombospondin-1 suppresses the formation of peritoneal adhesion in rats

Figure 3 Representative histological sections of cecum with adhesion bands. A: The muscularis propria is tightly adhered to the skeletal muscle by thick fibrotic tissue and infiltration of mononuclear cells (HE stain, 40 ×); B: The Masson trichrome stain indicates the intersecting of collagen-rich soft-tissue bands formed between the muscle layers (40 ×); C: HE stain shows the proliferative fibroblasts, increased collagen deposition and degenerative skeletal muscles (400 ×); D: Overexpressed TSP-1 on the injured cecum improved the formation of adhesion by separating the intestinal wall and skeletal muscle with a thin layer of loose connective tissue (HE, 40 ×); E: Masson trichrome stain identifies the loose connective tissue beside the skeletal muscle; F: Significantly fewer mononuclear cells infiltration in the loose connective tissue (HE, 400 ×). TSP-1: Thrombospondin 1.