Supportive Tissue

Cartilage

Dr. Riaz Hussain Pasha

• White adipose tissue (collagen, reticular fibers, narrow
spaces, few fibrocytes, mast cells& less ground substance)
• Brown adipose tissue (brown fat) (high iron containing
mitochondria)
• Fibrocytes, collagen & reticular fibers
• Found mainly in neck region, along thoracic aorta,
mediastinum, around abdominal aorta & vena cava
• Supportive connective tissue (Cartilage & Bone)
• Cartilage: specialized for supportive role in body
• Having specialized tensile strength ( intercellular substance
has collagen & or elastic fibers & firm ground substance
enhances its weight bearing capacity)
• This tissue is avascular, alymphatic and aneural

Dr. Riaz Hussain Pasha

• Cartilage cells: two types of cells
• i) Chondroblast ii) Chondrocytes
• Chondroblast: Found in growing cartilage & in the periphery
of cartilage (Perichondrium)
• Cells are oval, elliptical in shape, having central round to oval
nucleus
• Having prominent golgi apparatus, rER
• Chondrocytes: Chondroblast develop into chondrocytes (less
active)
• Elongate to spherical in shape having round central nucleus
• These cells are located within the cavity called Lacuna /
lacunae
• Old chondrocytes are having glycogen & lipid droplets

Dr. Riaz Hussain Pasha

• Cartilage matrix: The matrix is composed of fibers & ground
substance
• Collagen form the framework of the matrix
• The ground substance contains, GAG,s (glycosaminoglycans),
Chondroitin sulfate, keratan sulfate, hyaluronic acid
• GAG,s + proteins: proteoglycans
• Proteoglycans+ hyaluronic acid= aggrecan
• Classification of Cartilage:
• On the basis of different structural characteristics of the
matrix
• i) Hyaline cartilage ii) Elastic cartilage iii) Fibrocartilage
• Hyaline cartilage: found in nose, larynx, trachea, bronchi
• Form entire appendicular & axial skeleton of embryo

Dr. Riaz Hussain Pasha

• Chondrocytes are found in the lacunae, these cells may be
one or in the groups of two, four or six
• The multicellular lacunae are called as CELL NEST (or)
isogenous cell groups
• The amorphous ground substance of hyaline cartilage is a firm
gel like containing a network of type-II collagen fibrils. These
fibrils have same refractive index as amorphous ground
substance , therefore appear as homogenous & non fibrillar
• Perichondrium has collagen type-II, fibroblasts &
chondroblasts
• Intercellular matrix appear homogenous, non-fibrillar and
basophilic
• Perichondrium: having two layers: i) chondrogenic layer ii)
Fibrous layer

Dr. Riaz Hussain Pasha

• Layer immediately next to the matrix is composed of
chondroblasts is called cellular or chondrogenic layer
• The outer fibrous layer of perichondrium consist of irregularly
arranged collagen fibers & fibroblasts (Fibrous layer)
• Elastic Cartilage: Found in epiglottis, auditory tube, external ear
• Intercellular matrix is fibrillar due to elastic fibers, having few
collagenous fibers
• Perichondrium present
• Cell nest are not common
• Fibrocartilage: Found in knee joint, intervertebral disc,
symphysis pubis, having prominent type-I collagen fibers
• Lacunae widely spaced & arranged in rows, Perichondrium is
absent

Dr. Riaz Hussain Pasha

 A

C
D

Hyaline cartilage
(Found in nose, larynx, trachea, bronchi etc.)
A= Perichondrium (fibrous layer), B= Perichondrium (chondrogenic layer), C= Matrix, D=
Chondrocyte within lacuna

Dr. Riaz Hussain Pasha

 B

Elastic cartilage
(found in epiglottis, auditory tube, external ear)
A= Perichondrium, B= Chondrocyte within lacuna, C= Elastic fibers

Dr. Riaz Hussain Pasha

 Elastic cartilage
A= Chondrocyte, B= Lacuna, C= Matrix, D= Elastic fiber

Dr. Riaz Hussain Pasha

 A

Fibrocartilage
(found in knee joint, intervertebral disc, symphysis pubis)
A= Matrix with collagenous fibers, B= Chondrocytes arranged in lines

Dr. Riaz Hussain Pasha