Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Vertebral Column > Cartilage > Flashcards

Cartilage Flashcards

1
Q

What are connective tissues composed of?

A

Cells and a surrounding matrix

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Which cells comprise the cellular component of connective tissue?

A
  • Fibroblasts
  • Adipose cells
  • Osteocytes
  • Chondrocytes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Which elements comprise the matrix of connective tissue?

A
  • Fibres (collagen, reticular or elastic)
  • Ground substance (GAGs and glyoproteins)
  • Tissue fluid
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What type of connective tissue is cartilage and what is it surrounded by?

A
  • Hard connective tissue
  • Surrounded by a layer of dense irregular connective tissue composed largely of collagen, known as the perichondrium.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the functions of cartilage?

A
  • Supportive framework of organs
  • Buffer at articular surfaces
  • Forms the greater part of the fetal skeleton (largely replaced by bone)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are chondrocytes surrounded by?

A

Specialised extracellular matrix

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are the components of the perichondrium?

A
  • Fibrous outer layer - mostly fibroblasts and collagen fibres.
  • Inner chondrogenic layer - chondroblasts and chondrogenic cells.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Describe the structure and function of chondrocytes

A
  • Resident cells in cartilage
  • Found individually in spaces known as lacunae
  • Typically egg-shaped but can also be round or flattened
  • Produce and maintain matrix
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Describe the extracellular matrix (ECM)

A
  • Functional and dominating element of cartilage (>95% of tissue).
  • Composition of ECM differs depending on type of cartilage (hyaline, elastic or fibrocartilage).
  • High degree of hydration in ECM allows cartilage to respond to carying loads.
  • Has capsular matrix, territorial matrix and interterritorial matrix components.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the extracellular matric comprised of?

A

Predominantly type 2 collagen and proteoglycan aggregate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the functions of the extracellular matrix?

A
  • Maintains viability of tissue by permitting diffusion of substances (nutrients) between blood bessels in the perichondrium and chondrocytes.
  • High degree of hydration in matrix allows cartilage to respond to varying loads.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Describe the capsular matrix

A

Immediately around the chondrocyte

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Describe the territorial matrix

A

Darker, immediately surrounds the lacunae of isogenous groups

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Describe the interterritorial matrix

A

Lighter, makes up the remainder of the ECM

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Describe the role of chondrocytes in development

A
  • Mesenchymal (embryonic cells) differentiate into chondroblasts
  • Chondroblasts secrete cartilage matrix.
  • Cartilage matrix surrounds chondroblasts - chondrocytes are within lacunae.
  • Chonsrocytes are essential in maintaining the ECM - responsible for interstitial or appositional growth.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Describe interstitial growth of cartilage

A
  • Growth from a number of centres.
  • Chondroblasts multiply and divide to form clusters of cells - isogenous groups.
  • Groups produce matrix which separates the chondroblasts and in turn, produces chondrocytes.
  • Occurs in immature cartilage
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Describe appositional growth of cartilage

A
  • Growth through addition of new layers of matrix to existing ones
  • Occurs in the chondrogenic layer of perichondrium
  • Occurs mainly in mature cartilage
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Describe hyaline cartilage

A
  • Most widespread type of cartilage
  • Components:
    • chondrocytes
    • extracellular matrix (predominantly type 2 collagen)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are the functions of hyaline cartilage?

A
  • Creates a low-friction surface via lubrication of synovial joints
  • Distributes forces to underlying bone
  • Provides model for developing fetal skeleton
20
Q

Where is hyaline cartilage found?

A
  • Articular surfaces of synovial joints
  • Fetal skeleton
  • Costal cartilage
21
Q

Describe fibrocartilage

A
  • Comprised of:
    • chondrocytes
    • ECM
    • dense regular connective tissue
  • Chondrocytes dispersed among collagen fibres, similar to hyaline cartilage with less cartilage matrix material associated with them.
  • No perichondrium
  • Chondrocytes have a rounded nuclei, fibroblasts have a flattened, elongated nuclei.
  • ECM is characterised by both type 1 collagen fibrils (connective tissue matrix) and type 2 collagen fibrils (hyaline cartilage)
22
Q

What is the function of fibrocartilage?

A

Fibrocartilage acts as a shock absorber

23
Q

Where is fibrocartilage found?

A
  • Intervertebral disc
  • Pubic symphysis
24
Q

Describe elastic cartilage

A
  • Distinguished by the presence of elastin in the cartilage matrix.
  • Same components as hyaline cartilage but with addition of dense network of elastic fibres and interconnecting elastic sheets.
  • Gives cartilage elastic properties
  • Does not calcify during the ageing process (unlike hyaline)
25
Q

Where is elastic cartilage found?

A

External ear (pinna)

26
Q

Which type of cartilage is found in the zygapophyseal (facet) joints?

A

Hyaline cartilage

27
Q

Which type of cartilage is found in the intervertebral discs?

A

Fibrocartilage

28
Q

Which type of cartilage is found in the cartilaginous end plate?

A

Hyaline cartilage

29
Q

Describe the zygapophyseal (facet) joints

A
  • Synovial joint found between the sueprior and inferior articular processes on adjacent vertebrae.
  • Highly susceptible to osteoarthritis
  • Orientated to enable specific movements for each vertebral region:
    • Cervical - all directions
    • Thoracic - prdominantly lateral bending and rotation
    • Lumbar - flexion, extension and some lateral bending
30
Q

What is the function of hyaline cartilage?

A

Hyaline cartilage reduces friction

31
Q

Describe the intervertebral disc

A
  • Fibrocartilage plate between two (hyaline) end plates.
  • Increase in thickness craniocaudally.
  • Mostly ECM with ~1% volume of chondrocytes.
  • Largest non-vascularised structures in the human body
    • Up to 20mm between direct blood supply in some lumber IV discs
  • Nucleus pulposus - synthesise only type 2 collagen
  • Annulus fibrosus - synthesise type 1 and type 2 collagen
32
Q

What are the functions of the IV disc?

A

Provides flexibility and transmission of load

33
Q

Describe the cartilaginous end plate

A
  • Hyaline cartilage
  • Develop from mesoderm
  • At birth there are large vascular channels through end plates which fill with ECM by the end of the first decade of life - provide nutrition to disc.
34
Q

What are the functions of the cartilaginous end plate?

A
  • Growth plate for vertebrae in early life
  • Nutrient transport into disc
  • Barries between nucleus pulposus and vertebral body; prevents gelatinous nucleus pulposus bulging into vertebral body.
35
Q

What results from degeneration of the cartilage of the intervertebral disc?

A

Intervertebral osteochondrosis

36
Q

What results from degeneration of cartilage at the zygapophyseal joints?

A

Osteoarthritis

37
Q

What is intervertebral osteochondrosis?

A

Degeneration of the IV disc (fibrocartilage)

38
Q

Where does intervertebral osteochondrosis initiate?

A

Initially begins as a Schmorl’s node

39
Q

What is a Schmorl’s node?

A

Herniation of the nucleus pulposus through the cartilaginous and bony end plates into the adjacent vertebral body

40
Q

Where can intervertebral osteochondrosis occur?

A
  • At any level of the spine
  • Most commonly found in the cervical and lower lumbar regions
41
Q

How is intervertebral osteochondrosis represented on a radiograph?

A
  • Loss of disc space
  • Bony sclerosis of vertebral bodies (sclerosis = abnormal hardening of tissue)
42
Q

What results from progression of intervertebral osteochondrosis?

A
  • Destruction of the cartilaginous end plates
  • Bulging of the outer fibres of the annulus fibrosus
43
Q

Describe osteoarthritis

A
  • Form of non-infectious arthritis affecting the synovial joints
  • Common with increasing age
  • Degeneration of articular cartilage through reduction in proteoglycan content in the ECM.
  • Zygapophyseal joint is the only synovial joint in the spine affected by osteoarthritis.
44
Q

What results from osteoarthritis (degeneration of articular cartilage through reduction in proteoglycan content in the ECM)?

A
  • Osteophyte growth at the joint margins (attempting to return stability to joint).
    • Osteophyte - bony outgrowths (spurs)
  • Loss of joint space
  • Sclerosis
45
Q

Describe degeneration in the cervical spine (specifically the uncovertebral joints of Luschka).

A
  • Found at the posterolateral portions of the vertebral body
  • Contribute to the anterior aspect of the intervertebral foramen
  • Articular cartilage degeneration leads predominantly to osteophyte formation.
  • Osteophyte formation leading to stenosis of the lateral recess and resulting in compression of the vertebral artery.
    • stenosis = narrowing of a passageway
46
Q

Describe degeneration in the thoracic spine (specifically in the costal articulations).

A
  • Costal articulations:
    • Costvertebral - head of rib and vertebral bodies
    • Costotransverse - neck and tubercles of ribs and transverse processes of vertebrae.
  • Degeneration commonly found between T11 and T12 with 11th and 12th ribs respectively.
  • Similar features as seen in other joints:
    • Space narrowing
    • Presence of osteophytes
    • Sclerosis
47
Q

Describe degeneration in the lumbar spine (specifically in the sacroiliac joint).

A
  • Abnormalities can be unilateral or bilateral
  • Complete or partial ankylosis of joint
    • Ankylosis = abnormal stiffening and hardening of joints resulting in stiffness of the joint
  • Osteophytosis and bony sclerosis apparent on the anterior articular surface

Vertebral Column (13 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions