Figure 5

Mast cells reduce type I procollagen protein expression by tenocytes. Immunofluorescent staining for type I procollagen protein in a monolayer of tenocytes stimulated with HMC-1 conditioned media (cond media) for 24 hours. The immunofluorescent images were analyzed for intensity of procollagen immunoreaction using the open source software CellProfiler and data are presented as mean arbitrary fluorescence intensity units (a.u.). Representative immunofluorescent images of control versus conditioned media-treated tenocytes are shown. Data represent mean ± standard error of the mean of at least three separate experiments, each run in triplicate. Mann–Whitney U test, *P <0.001.