Figure 2.
Age-dependent change of storage vacuoles at an early stage in cartilage of MPS VII mouse model. Left panel: 2-3 days old, middle panel: 2.5 weeks old, right panel: 5 weeks old. Clear vacuoles are observed in most chondrocytes at birth. Vacuoles in chondrocytes increase in number with age and storage materials are fully accumulated at the age of 5 weeks old. Vacuolization and disorganization of the column structure in articular cartilage is more progressive than seen in epiphyseal cartilage (toluidine blue-stained 0.5-μm-thick sections: X 40).