Fig. 2

Condylar cartilage degeneration occurred in the advanced stage of ADD. (A) Representative images of H&E staining in TMJ sagittal sections at 1-week and 8-week after sham or ADD surgery. Scale bar: 500 μm. (B) Representative images of TB staining in TMJ sagittal sections at 1-week and 8-week after sham or ADD surgery. Scale bar: 500 μm. (C) Quantitative analysis of modified Mankin score of condyles at 1-week and 8-week after sham or ADD surgery. (D) Representative Western blotting bands showing the expression of MMP3, Cas-3, Clv. Cas-3, and β-actin in condylar cartilage at different time points after ADD surgery. The time points from left to right: 0 days (baseline), 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. (E, F) Quantitative analysis of the relative intensity of MMP3 (E) and Clv. Cas-3 (F). The level of MMP3 was normalized to β-actin. The level of Clv. Cas-3 was normalized to Cas-3. Statistical analysis was determined by one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test. (G, H) Representative images (G) and quantitative analysis (H) of Clv. Cas-3⁺ cells in condylar cartilage at 1-week and 8-week after sham or ADD surgery. Scale bar: 50 μm. (I, J) Representative images (I) and quantitative analysis (J) of MMP3⁺ cells in condylar cartilage at 1-week and 8-week after sham or ADD surgery. Scale bar: 50 μm. (K, L) Representative images (K) and quantitative analysis (L) of OCN⁺ cells in condylar cartilage at 1-week and 8-week after sham or ADD surgery. Scale bar: 50 μm. The data were presented as mean and SEM. Unpaired t test was used to compare the differences between sham and ADD surgery at the same time point. ** P < 0.01. n = 3 per group