were also confirmed by magnetic resonance mr artrogram and computerized tomography ct artrogram that was performed on the excised legs of a sacrificed sheep 10 months after the implantation in addition to the above sheep were sacrificed about 10 month year after transplantation and the implants were assayed in all sacrificed sheep implants both allograft and autograft implants underwent complete fusion with the surrounding bone and cartilage slices of knee cartilage within and surrounding the implant were observed using the above detailed live dead ratio assay viable chondrocytes were observed in both the surface of the implant and in its deepest level in an alternative experiment osteochondral cylinders prepared for freezing as described in point 1 above were drilled in the bone part with a thin 2 mm drill and a screw with a looped end was inserted into the hole a string about twice the length of the tube or longer was attached to the loop although any length of string or wire that would allow pulling the cylinder out of the receptacle by hand or tool would do the cylinders were frozen in thawing tubes at about u2212 20 u00b0 c were opened under a sterile hood and the still frozen cylinders were pulled out by force using the attached string ice surrounding the osteochondral cylinder was chipped off gently and the cylinders were plunged into a sterile swirling bath at.