CARTILAGE

Musculoskeletal System
 NEED TO KNOW…
• Similarities and differences between the structure and function of three types of cartilage
• Where we find each type of cartilage
 CARTILAGE
• Like bone, cartilage is a type of connective tissue. Unlike bone, it is flexible.
• Cells of cartilage:
• Chondroblasts
• Chondrocytes
• Just like in bone, the ‘blasts’ are responsible for making and depositing the extracellular
matrix and the ‘cytes’ are mature cells that have been trapped in lacunae in their own matrix.
• Extracellular matrix:
• Fibres – mostly collagen
• Chondrin – a protein – carbohydrate complex
• It is actually the fibres of the ECM that are used to determine the type of cartilage
 BLOOD SUPPLY
• Cartilage does NOT contain blood vessels. The perichondrium – a layer of fibrous
connective tissue that surrounds cartilage contains blood vessels.
• The cells of cartilage, therefore, rely on diffusion of nutrients and wastes across relatively
large distances. In order for this to be viable, they have a very slow metabolism and slow
rate of cell division.
• As a result, healing of damaged cartilage is a slow process, and in fact the cartilage may
never fully heal.
• Articular cartilage – forming joint surfaces on the ends of bones, does not even have a
perichondrium. This cartilage is very unlikely to fully heal after damage.
 TYPES OF
CARTILAGE
 HYALINE CARTILAGE
• Hyaline cartilage contains collagen fibres.
• They are so fine and so closely packed that a light
microscope is not able to even see that there are
fibres!
• This provides great strength and smooth surfaces to
the tissue.

• This form of cartilage is found on articular surfaces

of bones as well as the rings of the trachea and
bronchi. Epiphyseal plates and developing bones are
also made from hyaline cartilage.
 ELASTIC CARTILAGE
• Elastic cartilage contains collagen fibres – not quite
as tightly packed as in hyaline cartilage, but also
contains elastic fibres.
• This provides a great ‘springiness’ to the tissue and
the capacity to return quickly to its original shape if
deformed.

• The ears contain elastic cartilage.

 FIBROCARTILAGE
• Like hyaline cartilage, this type contains collagen
fibres. However, they are not packed nearly as tightly
as in hyaline cartilage.
• As a result, fibrocartilage has some compressibility.
This allows it to act as a shock-absorber.
• This form of cartilage is found in areas that are
frequently weightbearing. The intervertebral discs
and menisci of the knee contain fibrocartilage.