Look at the eMicroscope of a section of cartilage on the left. These cells have generally straight outlines where they are in contact with each other, with the rest of their circumference rounded. Grounded on academic literature and research, validated by experts, and trusted by more than 1 million users. If a thin slice of cartilage is examined under the microscope, it will be found to consist of cells of a rounded or bluntly angular form, lying in groups of two or more in a granular or almost homogeneous matrix. So, you can find hyaline cartilage in the larynx and trachea in the throat portion of the body, and then also in all of the joints where the surfaces of bones are articulating each other. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); It is weaker than bone, but it is flexible and can recover quickly. composed of a delicate network of fine type II collagen fibrils, type IX collagen, and proteoglycan core protein. Each cell differentiates into a chondroblast as it secretes a basophilic halo of the matrix, The continuing division produces isogenous groups. There are no blood vessels in cartilage to supply the chondrocytes with nutrients. The collagen of articular cartilage is primarily type II (90–95%), with small contributions from types IX and XI. Your email address will not be published. Cartilage types: Images of microscopic views of the different types of cartilage: elastic, hyaline, and fibrous. Bone tissue It is histologically similar to hyaline cartilage but contains many yellow elastic fibers lying in a solid matrix. Read more. Your email address will not be published. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Cartilage grows by interstitial and appositional mechanisms. Each type has varying amounts of elastin and collagen. In this way, cartilage develops a compressive turgor that enables it to distribute loading evenly on to the subchondral bone, rather like a water bed. They are soon separated by a thin septum of the secreted matrix, which thickens and further separates the daughter cells. Hyaline cartilage has widely dispersed fine collagen fibres (type II), which strengthen it. An essential feature of the cartilage is that it has no blood vessels. Treatment involves arthroplasty and chondroitin sulfate or glucosamine sulfate supplements. The length of collagen fibrils and fibers in cartilage is unknown, but even relatively short fibrils can reinforce the matrix by interacting physically and chemically with each other and with other matrix constituents including proteoglycans (Hukins and Aspden 1985), reflecting the fact that the term collagen means ‘glue maker’. This article will explain the structure, composition and formation of this structure. On account of being avascular (lacking blood supply), articular cartilage can get damaged due to the normal wear and tear that occurs with age or an injury. Kenhub. This cartilage is of three types as. Three types of cartilage(hyaline cartilage, white fibrocartilage, and yellow elastic cartilage) can be distinguished on the basis of the composition and structure of their extracellular matrices, but many features of the cells and matrix are common to all three types, and these features will be considered first. There are three types of cartilage: Elastic cartilage (yellow cartilage) – the most springy and supple type of cartilage. the elbows, knees, and ankles, ends of the ribs, Between the vertebrae in the spine, ears, and nose, Bronchial tubes or airways. Healthy articular cartilage allows joints to move and glide over each other with very little friction, but is subject to damage and injury, as well as normal wear and tear. Costal cartilages that connect the ventral ends of the ribs to the sternum increases elasticity of the chest wall – Chondrocytes- These chondrocytes produce large amounts of extracellular matrix composed of collagen fibers, proteoglycan, and elastin fibers. Articular cartilage functions as a shock absorber and also reduces friction between bones where they meet at joints. Reading time: 8 minutes. Learning anatomy is a massive undertaking, and we're here to help you pass with flying colours. The main cell types in cartilage are chondrocytes, the ground substance is chondroitin sulfate, and the fibrous sheath is called perichondriu… Alice Ferng B.S., MD, PhD Learn more about the structure and function of cartilage. The remodeling of cartilage is predominantly affected by changes and rearrangements of the collagen matrix, which responds to tensile and compressive forces experienced by the cartilage. Other constituents of cartilage include dissolved salts, non-collagenous proteins, and glycoproteins. Cartilage is a non-vascular type of supporting connective tissue that is found throughout the body . 1. – “The knee is the largest joint in the body, and relies on two knee cartilage types to function effectively: fibrocartilage and articular cartilage. The function of articular cartilage is dependent on the molecular composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which consists mainly of proteoglycans and collagen. Large proteoglycan molecules have numerous side chains of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), carbohydrates with remarkable water-binding properties. The layers of articular cartilage are defined by zones. Fibrocartilage. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease process where the body’s immune system attacks synovial cells, and therefore the lining of joint capsules, which is a tough membrane that encloses joints. Starting from the subchondral bone, there is a tidemark that is deep to the basal layer and separates true articular cartilage from the deeper cartilage, which is a remnant of cartilage anlage from longitudinal growth during childhood. Formed by the process of chondrogenesis, the resulting chondrocytes are capable of producing large amounts of collagenous extracellular matrix … So this is called articular cartilage. From the cartilaginous tissue a kind of hard semi-transparent organic substance is secreted which is known as *Chondrin*. It is the most widespread cartilage type and, in adults, it forms the articular surfaces of long bones, the rib tips, the rings of the trachea, and parts of the skull. They are found on many joint surfaces. The calcified zone of the articular cartilage serves to bind the articular cartilage to the bone tissue by anchoring the collagen fibrils of the deep zone of the cartilage to the subchondral bone. a) Hyaline cartilage. This forms 90% of collagen in the body; functions to resist tension and stretching; found in the dermis, tendons, ligaments, fibrocartilage, bones, and fascia Type II Collagen Is the main fiber type in hyaline and elastic cartilage and functions to resist tensile strain that occurs when cartilage is compressed T I also engage myself in teaching which enhances my creativity and makes me more expressible. Apposition is thought to be most prevalent in mature cartilages, but interstitial growth must persist for long periods in growth-plate cartilage. The collagen fibres are hard to see in sections. It has a perichondrium, and it is the weakest of the three types of cartilage. Cartilage is an avascular, supporting and articular skeletal tissue consisting of cells in an extracellular matrix that may or may not mineralise depending on cartilage type, species or group of organisms; many invertebrates have cartilage but it never mineralises. Cartilage has limited reparative capacities for a number of reasons: Therefore, the standard treatments often involve total joint replacements (arthroplasty) or clever bioengineering techniques to regenerate articular cartilage through scaffolding and stem cell engineering. Reviewer: • The main cell types in cartilage are chondrocytes, the ground substance is chondroitin sulfate, and the fibrous sheath is called perichondrium. There are three major types of cartilage: hyaline, fibro, and elastic cartilage. Structure of Hyaline Cartilage • Hyaline cartilage is the most widespread type and resembles glass. Last reviewed: August 31, 2020 Required fields are marked *. These cells are found solitary or in pairs and are densely scattered out within the matrix. Tumors made up of cartilage tissue can also occur, but can be either benign or malignant in nature. 2. The intermediate zone is adjacent to the basal layer, with an oblique or random organization of type II collagen. There are several diseases and processes that can affect cartilage. This zone is also the only zone where articular cartilage progenitor cells have been identified. It is covered externally by a fibrous membrane, called the perichondrium, except at the articular ends of bones; it also occurs under the skin (for instance, ears and nose). Finally, there is most superficial layer, also known as the tangential zone. This results in “bone against bone” grinding within the joint that leads to reduced range of movement, loss of proprioception, and pain. While more rigid and less flexible than muscle, cartilage is not as stiff as bone. The most common GAG side chains in cartilage are chondroitin sulfate and keratan sulfate. The cells of the inner layer contain differentiated, but mainly resting chondroblasts or prechondroblasts. 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