Higher magnification LM of hyaline cartilage from the trachea. Groups of chondrocytes (C), the isogenous nests, sit in lacunae. Preparation artifact causes some lacunae to appear empty (*). In other lacunae, chondrocytes shrank away from walls to leave a clear pericellular halo. Each cell has a slightly irregular shape and contains a single nucleus, often eccentric in location. A thin rim of basophilic territorial matrix (TM) is in the immediate vicinity of lacunae, which indicates a high concentration of newly synthesized sulfated GAGs. Between the chondrocytes, the interterritorial matrix (IM) appears more eosinophilic and has a typical glassy appearance. 480×. H&E.