Fig. 1

Degeneration and calcification in condylar cartilage of rats with TMJ OA induced by UAC stimulation. A Safranine O staining and the grade of histomorphology presented obvious cartilage degeneration was in the TMJs of UAC rats (n = 6). B Von Kossa staining revealed obvious cartilage calcification was in the TMJs of UAC rats (n = 6). Scale bar = 100 μm. Green bar, calcified cartilage. Control, control group; UAC, unilateral anterior crossbite group; 4w, 4 weeks; 8w, 8 weeks; 12w, 12 weeks. All data are presented as means ± SD. The data of compared groups were from the populations of Gaussian distribution and consistent with homogeneity of variance. Comparisons between the control and UAC groups of the same timepoint were performed by Student’s t test. **P < 0.01, compared with the age-matched control group