Table 4.

Zonal measurement of cartilage thickness and measurement and scoring of the osteophytes on histology slides (safranin O) at the medial tibial plateau

Parameter	Unit	Area	SHAM	MMT
Cartilage thickness	μm	z1	536.15 ± 18.78	1035.51 ± 34.62**
		z2	916.96 ± 21.14	182.76 ± 20.05**
		z3	1092.5 ± 23.13	1016.00 ± 25.81
Damage score (1–5)	score	z1–z3	0.2 ± 0.04	4.3 ± 1.62**
Cartilage matrix loss width	μm	0 %	307.44 ± 145.73	4586.24 ± 846.11**
		50 %	126.53 ± 82.22	2631.76 ± 350.87**
		100 %	46.36 ± 145.73	1843.15 ± 304.20**
Total cartilage degeneration width	μm	z1–z3	312.46 ± 35.26	4965.55 ± 930.87**
Significant cartilage degeneration width	μm	z1–z3	6.32 ± 10.50	1987.53 ± 962.81**
Osteophyte size	μm	z1	26.42 ± 15.81	480.19 ± 62.33** (large)

* p < 0.05 or ** p < 0.001 relative to sham rats