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Silver staining of collagen fibrils in cartilage

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Summary

Direct visualization of individual collagen fibrils by light microscopy in human cartilage was achieved by applying a periodic acid-silver methenamine stain on plastic sections. Collagen fibrils, 100 nm in diameter or thicker, were delineated individually by light microscopy and were easily traced for a length beyond 100μm. Thinner fibrils not readily visible optically were identified if arranged in compact bundles as occurring in the superficial zone of articular cartilage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, University of Calgary and Foothills Hospital, 1403-29 Street N.W., T2N 2T9, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    W. S. Hwang, K. Ngo & K. Saito

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  1. W. S. Hwang
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  2. K. Ngo
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  3. K. Saito
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Hwang, W.S., Ngo, K. & Saito, K. Silver staining of collagen fibrils in cartilage. Histochem J 22, 487–490 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01007233

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01007233

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