Fig. 1

bFGF improved muscle regeneration and inhibited fibrosis. a HE staining. The elevation of area of interstitial space (star), structural fractured (arrow), and mild edema were found in injured muscle tissues on the 0th day. Numerous of inflammatory cells infiltrating (triangle) were found in saline group, while bFGF inhibited inflammatory cells infiltrating (triangle) on the 4th day. bFGF increased centro-nucleated myofibers (arrow) on the 7th and 14th days. b Observation of fibrosis distributed in injured muscle tissue by Masson’s trichrome staining. Injured muscle tissues containing collagen deposition (blue) and myofibers (red) were analyzed. Injured muscle tissues treated with bFGF showed a significant reduction in collagen deposition and increased myofibers within the areas of injury compared with saline group on the 7th, 14th, and 21st days