**2.4.1 Bead degradation study**

Saline or 15 µg of CFA in 15 µl was injected into the upper joint space of the TMJ followed by a second injection 24 hours later of 30 µl of dye loaded microcapsules (90 mg microcapsules [dry weight]/1 mlTris buffer or 0.9% saline) into the same location. The animals were sacrificed 5 hours (day 0), 5 and 10 days after injection of microcapsules and TMJ was removed en bloc, fixed in paraformaldehyde, sectioned and stained as described below.
