TABLE I.

Histological Scoring Table

Group	Collagen fiber structure	Collagen fiber arrangement	Rounding of nuclei	Cell population	Chronic inflammation	Total
DR	0.0	0.0	3.0 ± 0.0	1.3 ± 0.4	0.0	4.3 ± 0.4
ELAC	1.8 ± 0.2	1.6 ± 0.1	1.1 ± 0.1	1.7 ± 0.2	0.4 ± 0.2	6.6 ± 0.6
ELAC + MSCs	1.7 ± 0.1	1.2 ± 0.1	0.0	2.7 ± 0.1	0.0	5.5 ± 0.3

Native tendon parameters were defined as follows: collagen fiber structure: compact and wavy collagen fibers arranged in parallel; collagen fiber arrangement: uniaxial, an angle of less than 20° between fibers; rounding of nuclei: over 95% of nuclei predominately elongated; cell population: sparse, less than 5% coverage of the total visible area: chronic inflammation: no inflammatory cell infiltrates.

Scoring for each parameter reported as mean and standard deviation of each group. Scores were given on a scale from 0 to 3; 0 = characteristic nearly indistinguishable from native tendon, 1 = minimal difference from native tendon, 2 = moderate difference, and 3 = extensive difference. “Total” is the sum of the scoring parameters (15 = no visible characteristics of native tendon and 0 = nearly indistinguishable from native tendon).