[The brown coloring of the permanent cartilage tissue in old age (author's transl)].

The brown coloring of the permanent cartilage tissue in old age (demonstrated at the rib cartilage) is to be related to pigment deposition in cartilage cells and ground substance. There is a granular pigment present, which probably is a chromolipid. Unstained histological slides are best suitable for the presentation of pigments. In epiphysial joint cartilage (transitory cartilage tissue) the pigmentation of aging usually is only suggested. The appearance of pigment granulas is accompanied by various regressive alterations of cartilage tissue, especially with eosinophilia of the ground substance.