BL S11 Bone And Cartilage Flashcards
What is cartilage?
An avascular tissue with an extensive extracellular matrix in which lie chondrocytes.
What do chondrocytes do?
They produce and maintain the extracellular matrix.
How do nutrients etc get to the chondrocytes if it is avascular?
The matrix permits ready diffusion of substances.
Describe the extracellular matrix of cartilage.
Proteoglycans, hyaluronic acid and type II collagen.
Hyaluronic acid + many proteoglycan linked together form hyaluronate proteoglycan aggregates.
High density of negative charge attracts water and forms a hydrated gel.
What are the 3 types of cartilage?
Hyaline
Elastic cartilage
Fibrocartilage
What are the differences in structure between the 3 types of cartilage?
Hyaline = proteoglycans + hyaluronic acid + type II collagen. Elastic = with elastic fibres added Fibrocartilage = type I collagen
What cells are in hyaline cartilage?
Chondrocytes only
How can chondrocytes within cartilage be present?
Singly or in isogenous groups
In an adult where is hyaline cartilage found?
Articulating surfaces Parts of ribs Trachea Bronchi Larynx Nose
In younger children where is hyaline cartilage found in addition to where it is found in adults?
Epiphyseal growth plates.
Perichondrium lines the margin of the hyaline cartilage.
What is it made of?
Dense connective tissue
Contains elongated fibroblast-like cells.
What will the elongated fibroblast-like cells develop into?
Chondroblasts and eventually chondrocytes.
What type of growth does do elongated fibroblast-like cells within the perichondrium give rise to?
Describe briefly this type of growth.
Appositional growth
Accomplished by addition of new layers on top of previously formed ones from the periphery of the cartilage.
What is interstitial growth?
Chondrocytes deeper in the cartilage may divide and separate as they lay down matrix.
What characteristics of cartilage confer it’s resilience to varying pressure loads?
The fact that it is a hydrated gel and the fact that water can move within the matrix.
Chondrocytes lie in __________.
Lacunae
What happens to hyaline cartilage for it to become bone?
Becomes mineralised.
Hyaline at articulating surfaces and in the epiphyseal growth plates has perichondrium.
True or false.
False.
Where is elastic cartilage found?
External ear (pinna)
External acoustic meatus
Epiglottis
Eustachian tube.
What cells are found in fibrocartilage?
Chondrocytes and fibroblasts.
Fibrocartilage is a combination of dense regular connective tissue and hyaline cartilage.
True or false?
True
Does fibrocartilage contain perichondrium?
No
Where is fibrocartilage found?
Intervertebral discs.
Articulating discs of sternoclavicular and temperomandibular joints
Knee joint menisci
Pubic symphysis
What is endochondral ossification?
The replacement of pre-existing template of hyaline cartilage by bones.
What type of bone develops this way?
Most long bones.
Describe what happens in terms of long bone growth at 6-8weeks (embryo) stage.
Periosteal bone will appear in shaft via intramembranous ossification - called bone collar synthesised by osteoblasts.
Describe what happens in terms of long bone growth at 5-6 weeks (embryo) stage.
Will be a hyaline cartilage template present .
Describe what happens in terms of long bone growth at the 8-12weeks (fetus) stage.
Central cartilage will calcify and a nutrient artery will penetrate supplying osteogenic cells.
This area is called the primary ossification centre.
Describe what happens in terms of long bone growth at the postnatal stage.
Medulla becomes cancellous bone.
Cartilage forms epiphyseal growth plates.
Epiphytes develop secondary ossification centres.
Describe what happens in terms of long bone growth at the mature adult stage.
Epiphyses - ossify - growth plates continue to move apart lengthening the bone.
Epiphyseal plates replaced by bone.
Articulating hyaline cartilage will persist.
In an LS of an epiphyseal plate, what is happening in the zone of reserve cartilage?
No cellular proliferation or matrix production.
In an LS of an epiphyseal plate, what is happening in the zone of proliferation?
Cells divide - form columns - enlarge and secrete matrix
In an LS of an epiphyseal plate, what is happening in the zone of hypertrophy?
Cells greatly enlarge
Matrix gets compressed in between columns of cells.
When enlarged they make enzyme alkaline phosphatase - promotes the calcification of matrix.