Table 4. Gene expression differences within the DDFT between non-operated control (NOC), transected extensor tendon (TxEXT) and partially transected SDFT (TxSDFT) groups.

Gene	Region	KW (p-value)	NOC vs Tx Ext	MWU (p-value)	NOC vs Tx SDFT	MWU (p-value)
COL3	P2	0.019	nd	0.749	TxSDFT > NOC; 16.2 fold	0.016
	P1	0.006	nd	0.522	TxSDFT > NOC; 14.4 fold	0.007
	D1	0.010	nd	0.522	TxSDFT > NOC; 49.5 fold	0.010
	D2	0.209
VCAN	P2	0.013	nd	0.631	TxSDFT > NOC; 7.16 fold	0.007
	P1	0.281
	D1	0.040	nd	0.749	TxSDFT > NOC; 7.10 fold	0.025
	D2	0.140
BGN	P2	0.002	nd	0.109	TxSDFT > NOC; 20.8 fold	0.004
	P1	0.144
	D1	0.007	nd	0.423	TxSDFT > NOC; 4.71 fold	0.016
	D2	0.130
LUM	P2	0.004	nd	0.337	TxSDFT > NOC; 142 fold	0.004
	P1	0.002	nd	0.150	TxSDFT > NOC; 131 fold	0.004
	D1	0.003	nd	0.873	TxSDFT > NOC; 190 fold	0.004
	D2	0.003	nd	0.522	TxSDFT > NOC; 33.9 fold	0.004
MMP-1	P2	0.203
	P1	0.039	nd	0.631	TxSDFT > NOC; 4.69 fold	0.037
	D1	0.249
	D2	0.402
ADAMTS4	P2	0.097
	P1	0.386
	D1	0.220
	D2	0.250

Mean fold changes for each region were calculated by dividing the relative fluorescent unit (RFU) value of the TxEXT and TxSDFT groups by the mean RFU of each region of the NOC group. P values are presented for each comparison. KW = Kruskal-Wallis analysis; MWU = Mann-Whitney U analysis; NOC = non-operated control; TxEXT = completely transected extensor tendons; TxSDFT = partially transected superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT); nd = no difference. The column for ‘Region’ refers to the regions sampled as per Fig 2; with P2 being closest to the carpus and D2 being closest to the metacarpophalangeal joint. The level of transection in either the extensor tendons or SDFT would lie between P1 and D1.