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The dye, triethyl-carbocyanin DBTC, was tested for differential staining of cartilage structures. Femoral head articular cartilage from neonatal rats was processed for histology to demonstrate the interlacunar network. Sections of glycol methacrylate (GMA) embedded cartilage were stained at pH 2.8, 5.4, 6.1 and 8.0 to determine the optimal staining conditions. Only at pH 6.1 were all cartilage structures stained and the best contrast achieved. Streptomyces hyaluronidase, chondroitinase ABC, pepsin, trypsin, and pronase digestions were carried out prior to staining at pH 6.1 to evaluate the selectivity of the stain. Undigested chondrocyte nuclear chromatin stained dark purple; staining intensity was reduced slightly by pepsin or trypsin digestion. Undigested chondrocyte cytoplasm stained light blue but stained purple after hyaluronidase digestion. Undigested extracellular matrix stained light violet; staining was almost entirely eliminated by chondroitinase ABC digestion, was unaffected by hyaluronidase, and was either unaffected or increased after proteinase digestion. Staining of a narrow zone of matrix adjacent to the network was prevented by proteinase digestion while the network element appeared as a thin dark line. The network appears to be a trilaminar structure; a core element of hyaluronic acid and protein surrounded by a protein sheath. Triethyl-carbocyanin DBTC staining of cartilage offers slightly more selectivity and contrast than methylene blue, toluidine blue or safranin O. At pH 6.1, DNA, perhaps RNA, and hyaluronic acid stained deep purple; chondroitin sulfate, light violet; protein (collagen), stained very light violet if at all.

The superficial zone of the femoral head articular cartilage of 5- to 15-day old rats was examined by light and electron microscopy for evidence of shedding into the joint space. Chondrocytes deepest in the superficial zone were round, surrounded by a capsule, and connected to adjacent chondrocytes by the interlacunar network, whereas cells in the middle of the zone appeared similar but with less cytoplasm. At the circular surface, chondrocytes were small, with pyknotic nuclei and poorly defined organelles. These cells occasionally protruded from the articular surface but maintained at least partial connection with the network and their capsule. Depressions in the articular surface were lined with material similar to that of the network and were the only locations found where the network did not terminate at a cell surface. This static evidence suggested at least two hypotheses: 1) Degenerating chondrocytes moved up through the superficial zone to the articular surface and were shed into the joint space. This movement may be facilitated by the network as part of neonatal cartilage development. 2) During joint formation, the surface of the articular cartilage was eroded down to the chondrocytes, which were exposed to the joint fluid, causing cell degeneration, death, and shedding. Evidence of cell shedding was rarely seen after 2 weeks of age. Likewise, the interlacunar network disappeared from the superficial zone during this period. A physiological as well as structural relationship may exist between the chondrocytes and interlacunar network.