FIG. 1.

Schematic of ultrastructure of articular cartilage (adapted from Hunzikeret al.³⁶): Blue circular shapes are chondrocytes and the black bands are collagen fibrils. The figure shows orthogonal arrangement of collagen fibrils in the central and near the subchondral bone regions of the cartilage and a parallel arrangement near the superficial region of the cartilage. This ultrastructure has been shown to play a role in cartilage mechanical properties.²² Color images available online at www.liebertpub.com/tea