Cartilage

Nto, Nto Johnson

Department Of Anatomy
College of Medicine
University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus
 Reminder
 Connective tissue?
 Tissues that provide general structure, mechanical strength,
space filling, and physical and mechanical support
 CT develops from mesenchyme
 CT consist cells and extracellular/intercellular
material/matrix
 Extracellular matrix
 Ground substance
 Fibres
 Collagen fibres
 Reticular fibres
 Elastic fibres
 CT cells
 Fibroblast
 Undefferentiated mesenchymal cells
 Adipose cells
 Mast cells
 Macrophages
 Lymphocytes
 Plasma cells
 Monocytes
 Eosinophils
 Classification of CT  Classification of CT
 General  Embryonic
 Loose  Mesenchyme
 Dense  Mucous
 Special  Supporting tissue
 Regular  Cartilage
 Elastic  Bone
 Adipose
 Reticula
 Cartilage
 Cartilage is a specialized type of supporting tissue
 Develops from mesenchyme
 Forms skeletal basis of some parts of body
 Matrix is firm giving it the characteristic consistency
 Rigid, elastic and resilient
 Resists compression
 Avascular (nutrients diffuse through matrix)
 Perichondrium is rich in blood vessels
 Cartilage
 Cartilage consist of cells and an
intercellular substance.
 Cartilage consist mainly two
types of cells:
 Chondrocytes
 Chondroblast
 Chondroblast
 Develops from primitive
mesenchymal cells
 Progenitor of chondrocytes
 Lines border between
perichondrium and matrix
 Produce the intercellular matrix
and collagen fibres
 Cells which become imprisoned
within this matrix become
chondrocytes
 Chondrocyte

 Mature cartilage cell

 Maintainthe integrity of the cartilage
matrix
 Present in a lacuna
 The nuclei is ovoid, and one or two
nucleoli are present
 Very prominent rER (rough
endoplasmic reticulum) and well
developed golgi apparatus
 Chondrocyte
 They synthesize the extracellular
matrix
 The cytoplasm is basophilic

N
RER
Cartilage matrix
 Intercellular matrix
 Provides the rigidity, elasticity, &
resilience
 Fibers
 Collagenous and elastic
 Ground substance
 Glycosaminoglycans (chondroitin
sulfates & keratan sulfate)
 Proteoglycans
 Water
 Basophilic
 Perichondrium Fbrous
 Dense irregularly arranged fibrous tissue layer

 Ensheaths the cartilage Cellular

 Composed of cells & matrix layer

 Matrix consists of fibres & ground

substance
 Type I collagen
 Houses the blood vessels that nourish
chondrocytes
 Present in most of the hyaline & elastic
cartilage
 Absent in fibrocartilage
 Cartilage growth
 Interstitial
 Newly formed cartilage
grows by multiplication of
cells throughout its
substance.

 Appositional
 Addition of new cartilage
over the surface of existing
cartilage.
 Types of cartilage
 There are three generally recognized types of cartilage

 Hyaline

 Elastic

 Fibrous
 Hyaline Cartilage
 The most prevalent and widespread type
 Appears transluscent, bluish white
 Articular surfaces of most joints, costal cartilages,
nasal cartilages and walls of respiratory passages.
 Cartilage cells: Present singly or in groups of 2 or 4
cells inside lacunae.
 Cartilage Matrix: Collagen type II
 Ground substance: Homogenous, clearly basophilic
 Functions:
 Support tissue and organs
 Model for bone development
Hyaline Cartilage
 Elastic cartilage
 Similar to hyaline cartilage except that it has
numerous elastic fibers.
 Matrix is yellowish
 Auricle, ext. auditory meatus, auditory tube,
epiglottis, apices of arytenoid cartilage
 Cartilage cells: larger, more numerous, packed
more closely
 Cartilage Matrix: elastic fibres, collagen type
II
 Ground substance: Rich in elastic fibres
 Functions: supportive with resilience
 Elastic fibers stain with orcein.
 Fibrocartilage
 A transitional type between hyaline cartilage and
dense fibrous connective tissue of tendons and
ligaments
 Occurs where a tough support or tensile strength
is required
 Intervertebral discs, glenoid fossa of scapular,
acetabulum of hip bone, manubriosternal joint,
articular disc of TM joint.
 Cartilage cells: fewer, smaller, scattered singly or
in rows
 Cartilage Matrix: collagen type I & II
 Ground substance: acidophilic
 Functions: supportive with tensile strength
Thank you