FIG. 2.

Safranin O staining for GAG at the indicated time points, with GAG-containing regions staining red. Hydrogel samples were sectioned axially (slice thickness of 5 μm), and photographed under a light microscope (magnification, 200×). Staining was positive for GAG in the extracellular matrix of chondrocyte-seeded PEODA hydrogels, with a general trend for increased staining with increasing incubation time. No staining was seen in acellular hydrogels. Color images available online at www.liebertonline.com/ten.