Cartilage Flashcards
What are the three types of cartilage?
Hyaline.
Fibro.
Elastic.
Which cartilage type am I?
- Most common type in body
- Found in rib cage, nose
- Covers bones to form moveable joints
Hyaline Cartilage
Which cartilage type am I?
- Form external ear, epiglottis that covers opening of respiratory tract during swallowing and eustachian tubes
Elastic Cartilage
Which cartilage type am I?
Fibrous elements within the matrix
Fibrocartilage
What are the 3 functions of cartilage?
Withstands considerable weight when covering the articulating surfaces of bones.
It works as a shock absorber between articulating bones like vertebrae or knees.
Provides a strong yet amicable support structure for the external ear, nose, and respiratory passages.
Where is the epiphyseal plates located in a long bone?
The proximal and distal ends of the bone.
Where in the epiphyseal plate do the stacks of chondrocytes increase?
Proliferating zone.
Where in the epiphyseal plate does the cell enlarge?
Hypertrophy zone.
What is calcified cartilage?
When the cartilage calcifies and stops growing.
What is the name of the bottom zone in the epiphyseal plate where the cartilage becomes bone?
Ossification zone.
Typically at what age range does the epiphyseal growth plate stops growing and becomes ossified?
20-25
What is directly inferior to the epiphyseal plate and is the middle part of the bone?
Bone of diaphysis.
How does the growth of the epiphyseal plate work?
Chondrocytes will divide and proliferate (increase in number). Thickness remains the same but the length increases as proliferation goes in up and down directions.
What happens to the calcified cartilage regarding the growth of the epiphyseal plate?
It turns into bone through ossification which adds to the diaphysis further increasing the bones size.
What cells can break down and reabsorb bones that will then release minerals to be used for bone remodeling?
Osteoclasts.
