Fig. 2.

Light microscopy of morphological alteration of BNC explants in different groups, hematoxylin-eosin staining. (A) In control group, chondrocytes showed round shape; (B) In the presence of IL-lα, most chondrocytes transformed into fibroblast-like with pyknotic nuclei, and chondrocytes showed vacuolated eosinophilic cytoplasm; (C) In IL-4 group, most chondrocytes showed round normal shape, and (D) In the presence of both IL-1α and IL-4, there were few pyknotic nuclei in comparison with IL-lα-treated group (40×).