Figure 8.

Representative pictures of the immunohistochemical analysis of bone morphogenetic protein 2, BMP-2 (A,a); glucocorticoid receptors, GRs (B,b); receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand, RANKL (C,c); tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2, TIMP-2 (D,d); osteoprotegerin, OPG (E,e); and vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF (F,f,G,g), carried out on formaldehyde-fixed sections from the femoral growth plate cartilage in the control group (growth-retarded gilts not supplemented with 2-Ox (A–G)) and the 2-Ox group (growth-retarded gilts supplemented with 2-Ox at a dose of 0.4 g/kg b.w./day (a–g)). Negative protein expression is represented by blue staining of the cytoplasm in the chondrocytes, while positive protein expression is represented by brown staining in the cells. Additionally, proteins (BMP-2, OC, RANKL, VEGF) secreted and released into the matrix are also stained in a brown color. (*,#)—anti-body control reaction. In (e), the zones of the articular cartilage are labeled as follows: reserve zone (RZ), proliferation zone (PZ), hypertrophy zone (HZ), and ossification zone (OE), as well as trabecular bone (TB). Each scale bar shows 50 µm.