FIG. 9.

Hematoxylin and eosin (HE), Masson's Trichrome, Safranin O, and Sirius red staining of rabbit cartilage defects repaired using the constructs of Col II/rFN/Cad-11 after 12 weeks. Much fibrous tissue was found in the defect, and the boundary was loose and separated in the collagen type II sponge control group (A–D). In the Col II/FN group, cartilage tissue and fibrous tissue were clearly mixed to repair the defects (E–H). In Col II/rFN/Cad-11 group, the neocartilage tissue was closely integrated to the original cartilage, as indicated by arrows, and had a similar thickness. The cell morphology and arrangement in the repair tissue were similar to that in normal cartilage tissue (I–L). (original magnification ×40). The arrows showed the edges of the defects. Scale bars: 1.0 mm. OC, original cartilage; NC, neocartilage; SB, subchondral bone; FT, fibrous tissue.