Fig. 3. Symphyseal proteoglycan content. Coronal sections (6 µm) of `middle' joint sites from U-diet (A) and O-diet (B) subadults stained with Safranin O to identify GAG content in the FC pad. In the high-power views of the ventral joint with the FC pad, darker staining in A vs B indicates lower proteoglycan content and thus decreased FC pad viscoelasticity in O-diet rabbits. In B note also the corresponding development of bony rugosities (`blue' bone, nearly completely traversing the `red' FC pad).