Light microscopy of hyaline cartilage composed of chondrocytes (blue) embedded in the cartilage matrix that they secrete. The edge of the cartilage shows much smaller cells which are immature chondrocytes and their precursor cells the chondroblasts. The matrix has collagen, proteoglycans, numerous other proteins and water. Cartilage resists compression and shear forces. Magnification x150 when printed at 10 cm.