For articular cartilage in osteoarthritic knees, safranin O/Fast Green is
commonly used, and toludine blue may also be useful.

You get excellent tinctorial staining with an Ehrlichs hematoxylin, far
better for cartilage than some progressive stains, like Mayers, Gills. It
is an easy hematoxylin to make up and use, no mercuric compounds.  Nuclei
will stain well.    

Just make sure you do not overdecalcify the bone, as this will alter
staining in both H&E and cartilage stains.


Gayle Callis
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University
Bozeman MT 59717-3610
406 994-4705
406 994-4303