| A | |
| Cell morphology | |
| Hyaline cartilage | 0 |
| Mostly hyaline cartilage | 1 |
| Mostly fibrocartilage | 2 |
| Mostly noncartilage | 3 |
| Noncartilage only | 4 |
| B | |
| Matrix staining (metachromasia) (Toludine blue-stained slides) | |
| Normal (compared to host) | 0 |
| Slightly reduced | 1 |
| Significantly reduced | 2 |
| No metachromatic stain | 3 |
| C | |
| Surface regularity (Total smooth area of reparative cartilage compared to the whole area of the cartilage defect) | |
| Smooth (3/4) | 0 |
| Moderate (1/2-3/4) | 1 |
| Irregular (1/4-1/2) | 2 |
| Severely irregular (1/4) | 3 |
| D | |
| Thickness of cartilage (Average thickness of reparative cartilage compared to that of surrounding cartilage) | |
| >2/3 | 0 |
| 1/3-2/3 | 1 |
| <1/3 | 2 |
| E | |
| Integration of repair tissue to surrounding articular cartilage | |
| Both edges integrated | 0 |
| One edge integrated | 1 |
| Both edges not integrated | 2 |