Developing cartilage. Light micrograph of a section through developing cartilage. The blue/green areas are the matrix of the cartilage. The pink areas contain numerous chondroblasts (with pink nuclei), cells which form the structure of the cartilage. Each chondroblast here will secrete material which will isolate it from other chondroblasts. They mature into chondrocytes, cells which inhabit their own spaces (lacunae) within the cartilage, and maintain its structure. Cartilage is a structural connective tissue which provides support and covers bone ends at joints. Magnification unknown.