Supplemental Material

Table S1.Primers used for qRT-PCR.Table S2. Summary of transcriptome sequencing data.<br>Table S3. Alignment rates of effective RNA-seq sequences on the reference genome.<br><b>F</b><b>IGURE</b><b> S1.</b> Morphology and schematic diagram of a fresh pedicle stump to show location of different differentiation states of PP (orange). <b>(</b><b>A</b><b>)</b> A pedicle stump immediately after hard antler casting. <b>(</b><b>B</b><b>)</b> Schematic drawing of the longitudinal cut surface of a pedicle stump immediately after hard antler casting. The three differentiation states of PP, AcPP, PoPP and DoPP, were delineated by the dotted lines. Note that DoPP is a thin layer that covers proximal two-thirds of the pedicle bone and loosely attached to the envelop skin; PoPP is a thin layer that covers a distal third of the pedicle bone and intimately associated to the envelop skin; AcPP is a thickened layer that encroaches peripherally onto the pedicle cast plane and intimately associated to the velvet antler skin.

表S1 实时定量逆转录聚合酶链反应（qRT-PCR）所用引物。<br>表S2 转录组测序数据汇总。<br>表S3 有效RNA测序（RNA-seq）序列在参考基因组上的比对率。<br>图S1 新鲜茸角柄残端的形态与示意图，用以展示不同分化状态的PP（橙色标记）的位置。(A) 硬角脱落后即刻的茸角柄残端。(B) 硬角脱落后即刻的茸角柄残端纵切面示意图。PP的三种分化状态——AcPP、PoPP与DoPP——以虚线标注区分。需注意：DoPP为覆盖茸角柄骨近端三分之二的薄层结构，与包裹皮肤疏松相连；PoPP为覆盖茸角柄骨远端三分之一的薄层结构，与包裹皮肤紧密结合；AcPP为增厚的组织层，向周边延伸至茸角柄脱落后的创面，与鹿茸皮肤紧密结合。