Results demonstrated that the average collagen content either increased or stayed the same. This phenomenon of normalization has previously been reported within the literature15. It occurs as a result of a decrease in the GAG content after decellularization. This induces a compensatory redistribution of the collagen content and an increase to the wet weight contribution of cartilage. Similar results have been obtained in other studies15. Collagen is vital for provision of biomechanical strength to the scaffold as well as guiding chondrogenic differentiation27. Therefore it is important that it is retained within the native ECM. Assessment with Masson’s Trichrome showed that collagen was retained post decellularization and this is comparable to the study by Utomo15 in which immunohistochemical staining has also shown the retention of collagen fibres.