[Proliferative ability of the central area tenocytes of flexor tendons in vitro]

To study the healing ability of the central area tissue of flexor tendons after injury.

Tendons of flexor digitorum profundus of the long toes from 8 white Leghorn hens were harvested in zone II. Tissues were cut in 4 mm segments and divided into the experimental group (the central area tissue of flexor tendons) and the control group (the tendon segments without epitenon). There were 12 tendon segments cultured in each group. Specimens were obtained and examined under light microscope on the 9th, 18th and 27th days after culture, respectively. Another 4 tendons were used as normal control, and they were directly examined under light microscope.

The number of tenocytes was significantly less in the control group than in the experimental group and the uncultured state (P < 0.01); the number of tenocytes was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the uncultured state (P < 0.01). The number of tenocytes of the experimental group were higher on the 9th day than on the 18th and 27th days after culture(P < 0.01).

The central area tissue of flexor tendons has favorable healing ability after injury.