Figure 4. MMP-9-null mice recover normal tensile strength following wounding.
Samples of WT and MMP-9-null normal skin from male and female 3 month-old mice were assessed for tensile strength with an Instron tensiometer. Representative load-extension curves of normal skin from WT (A, male; B, female) and MMP-9-null (C, male; D, female) mice are shown. Strength of healing incisional wounds was determined in male mice. Representative curves from d 7 (F, H) and d 14 (G, J) wounds from WT (F, G) and MMP-9-null (H, J) mice are shown. Quantification of breaking strength of uninjured skin (E) and healing wounds (I) is shown. No differences between MMP-9-null and WT mice were detected. Error bars represent SEM (n = 10).