Damaged cartilage. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the damaged head of a femur (thigh bone). The damage was caused by rheumatoid arthri

---

Damaged cartilage. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the damaged head of a femur (thigh bone). The damage was caused by rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that results in the progressive destruction of joints and soft tissues. The cartilage which covers the head of the bone is cracked and in places eaten away, with only patches of normal, smooth surface remaining. The bone was removed at a hip joint replacement operation. Magnification: x40 when printed 10 centimetres wide.

---

Size: 4518px × 3220px
Photo credit: © MOREDUN ANIMAL HEALTH LTD/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: abnormal, arthritic, arthritis, auto-immune, autoimmune, biological, biology, body, bone, cartilage, coloured, damage, damaged, destroyed, destruction, disease, false-colour, false-coloured, femur, head, human, incurable, joint, medical, medicine, osteology, progressive, rheumatoid, sem, thigh, unhealthy