Cartilage

Question 1

What are there two purposes of catilage in the body?

Answer 1

Joints ie. flexible interface between joints
Flexible support ie. outer ear

Question 2

What are the 3 types of cartilage?

Answer 2

1. Articular/Hyaline
2. Fibrocartilage
3. Elastic

Question 3

What are the typical ways/forms in which you can find articular cartilage?

Answer 3

• joint surfaces, covering the end of the bones, like in synovial joints
• precursors of bone in the embryonic skeleton
• found in bones as a centre of ossification* for bone growth
• mostly type ll cartilage

*turning cartilage and fibrous tissue into bone

Question 4

Articular cartilage is Avascular, Aneural and Alymphatic what do these three words mean?

Answer 4

Avascular = devoid of blood vessels
Aneural = devoid of nerves
Alymphatic = devoid of lymphatics

Question 5

What are the main properties of cartilage?

Answer 5

Withstand and distribute load
Elastic shock absorber
Wear resistance against surfaces in articulating joints
Self maintaining

Question 6

What is fibrocartilage?

Where is it found?

Answer 6

Specialised cartilage for areas requiring tough support or tensile strength

Intervertebral disks and surfaces of bony groves for tendons (interface ligament/tendon and bone)

Question 7

What does fibrocartilage, elastin and articular contain?

Answer 7

Fibro: Type l and ll collagen (more collagen than articular), Type ll makes up 50% of dry weight, lacks perichondrium
Articular: Type ll cartilage
Elastic: Type ll cartilage, elastin its matrix

Question 8

What does elastic cartilage look like?

Where is it found?

Answer 8

Yellow

Found in the pinna of the ear and several tubes like the larynx which it keeps permanently open

Question 9

What is the name given to the only cells found in cartilage?

What are their functions?

How do they obtain nutrients?

Can they divide?

Answer 9

Chondrocytes

Keeping and maintaining the matrix, they can secrete new matrix whilst embedded in the matrix (this results in internal expansion)

Through the diffusion of O2 as cartilage is avascular

Yes, they divide within the matrix

Question 10

Do chondrocytes vary in cartilage, if so, how?

Answer 10

Their morphology depends on their depth/zone. They have different biochemical, biomechanics and physiological properties.

Question 11

What are the zones of cartilage and which does each type of cartilage have?

Answer 11

Superficial
Middle
Deep
Calcified

Question 12

What does the ground substance that the typical collagen framework imbeds in consist of?

Answer 12

Water and carbohydrates (so it’s highly hydrated)