Fig. 10.

Antioxidant enzymes reduce cell death in the surface zone of experimentally wounded immature articular cartilage. Explants were untreated or pre-incubated for 30 min with either SOD 100 U mL⁻¹, catalase 400 U mL⁻¹ or L-NMA 1 mm. Explants were wounded using a 3-mm trephine and then cultured for a further week in serum-containing medium. (a,b) Composite images showing tissue sections labelled with ethidium homodimer from untreated and SOD-treated explants, respectively. (c) Graphs of percentage reductions in cell death in the various zones of articular cartilage of explants treated with SOD, catalase and L-NMA compared with untreated controls. *P < 0.05. (Optimum enzyme concentrations were determined empirically.)