This is a section from an intervertebral disc, showing both hyaline cartilage
(upper half of the image) and fibrocartilage (lower half of the image). At
this magnification the fibrillar substructure of the fibrocartilage matrix,
caused by the presence of eosinophilic bundles of type I collagen, can be
clearly seen. The presence of lacunae, occupied by chondrocytes,
and the presence of collagen fibers mark this as fibrocartilage.
In contrast the hyaline cartilage matrix lacks visible fibrillar structures.
Instead one sees a two-tone staining of the matrix caused by variations in
the relative amounts of basophilic ground substance.
Compare this image with higher magnification views of the two types of cartilage.
