CARTILAGE  Facilitates bone movement

 Growth and development of long

FACTS! bones

 Enriched of PROTEOGLYCANS whose BASIC UNIT

main GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS are
chondroitin sulfate (CS), keratan Chondrocyte (Gr. chondros, cartilage + kytos,
sulfate (KS), and hyaluronan (HA) cell)
which are found in the Articular  synthesize and maintain all ECM
cartilage. components and are located in
matrix cavities called lacunae.
 These proteins interacts with
COLLAGEN and ELASTIN  Contains Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid,
Proteoglycans, and small amounts
 All types of cartilage lack vascular of Glycoproteins
supplies and chondrocytes receive
nutrients by diffusion from  Isogenous Aggregates (appear in
capillaries in surrounding groups of eight originating from
perichondrium. single chondrocyte)

 Glycosaminoglycans have a crucial  Hormones responsible to promote

role in cell signaling, regulation of cartilage growth:
cell growth, proliferation,  Somatotropin - stimulates
promotion of cell adhesion, the liver to produce
anticoagulation, and wound repair. insulin-like growth factor-1
(IGF-1 or somatomedin) to
promote cartilage growth,
so there would be increase
in length or width of the
bones.

Consists of different types: THREE MAJOR FORMS OF CARTILAGE:

1. HYALINE CARTILAGE HYALINE
2. ELASTIC CARTILAGE ELASTIC
3. FIBROCARTILAGE FIBROCARTILAGE

FUNCTIONS: HYALINE CARTILAGE

 Provides prevention in mechanical

stress without distortion (tension,
compression, shear)

 Most common of the 3 types

 very rich in type 2 collagen and aggrecan
(very abundant proteoglycan in
 Support soft tissues hyaluronic acid)
 Shock absorber and sliding area for  The hyaline cartilage in the articular
joints cartilage of movable joints has NO
 PERICHONDIUM, so the nutrients is
supplied via synovial fluid.
 BLUISH WHITE AND TRANSLUCENT
 Embryo- serves as temporary skeletal
unit and is gradually replaces by bone

Location:
 Articular surfaces of the joints
 Walls of the respiratory passages (nose,
larynx, trachea, bronchi) CHONDROGENESIS
 Vertebral ends of the ribs  All chondrocytes are derived from
 Sternum embryonic mesenchyme
 Epiphyseal plate; if we reach puberty,
Epiphyseal plate will be replaced by
epiphyseal line which stops our growth

Matrix
 Proteoglycans and Glycoproteins
 Type II collagen (most of the
collagen in cartilage)
 Small amounts of Type IX, VI
 CHONDRONECTIN-a macromolecule
that binds specifically with
GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS (GAG) and
COLLAGEN TYPE II w/c mediates
chondronectin to ECM

 The first indication of differentiation is

rounding up of mesenchymal cells that
retract extensions, multiply rapidly,
forms cellular condensation, and will be
differentiated to form chondroblast.

 Synthesis and the deposition of matrix

Perichondrium begins to separate the cell.
 A layer of connective tissue covering
all hyaline cartilage (except articular
cartilage of joints)
 Essential in the maintenance and
growth
 Harbors blood supply to provide
nutrients in the cartilage

INTERSTITIAL GROWTH
 leads to an increase in length
 forms within the cartilage through
mitotic division
 increases tissue mass at the
Chondrocytes Epiphyseal plate of our long bones
 Elliptic in shape (at the periphery of and at the articular surface
cartilage)  increases the number of cells
 Synthesize collagens and other through mitotis and the amount of
matrix molecules matrix from within
 OVERGROWTH OF CARTILAGE CELLS:

CHONDROMA (e.g. OLLIER’S DISEASE)

 non cancerous/benign
 there is growth of cartilage between
the bones
 It is not inherited and is attributed
to somatic mutations of IDH 1 or
IDH 2 gene

ELASTIC CARTILAGE
 avascular, no blood supply
 More flexible than hyaline
APPOSITIONAL GROWTH  low metabolic rate
 leads to an increase in width  lacks lymphatic vessels and nerves
 the new cartilage is laid down at the  Yellowish color because of Elastin
surface of the perichondium (Elastic fiber with type 2 fibrils)
 the chondroblast of the
perichondium forms ECM and then Location
will be developed into mature  Auricle of the ear
chondrocyte  Eustachian Tubes
 cells secrete matrix within against  Epiglottis
the external face of an existing  Cuneiform Cartilage (Larynx)
cartilage
 Cartilage repair and regeneration is slow
because of its avascularity and low
metabolic rate
FIBROCARTILAGE Medical Conditions:
 It Is a tissue intermediate between
dense connective tissue and hyaline Osteoarthritis
cartilage  aka wear and tear arthritis
 located in tough regions but it  it happens when our cartilages gets
provides cushioning support tissue thinner as we age
for bone  a degenerative joint disease
 Chondrocytes of fibrocartilage occur  one of the most common types of
singly and often in aligned joint disease.
isogenous aggregates  The pathogenesis of osteoarthritis is
unknown, but it is related to aging
Location: and injury of articular
 Intervertebral discs cartilage.
 Ligaments
 Symphysis Pubis Chondroma
 benign tumor of cartilage
Characteristics
 Acidophilic (Type I) - retain Chondrosarcoma
basic dyes, scarce in  malignant tumor of cartilage
proteoglycan
 Combination of cartilage and
dense connective tissue