Cartilage

• connective tissue

• provides support and flexibility

contains protein fibres called collagen of different thickness

• this provides flexibility

protein-carbohydrate matrix called chondrin

• this provides support

location

• cartilage is found throughout the body

• at the ends of bone at a joint

• trachea, bronchi, nose, larynx

• outer ear

formation and structure

Chondroblasts:

• build the matrix until they are surrounded by it

• they become trapped in lacunae

• once this occurs, they are now mature chondrocytes

surrounded by a perichondrium that has blood vessels

• however, there is no perichondrium around cartilage

• blood vessels don’t enter the matrix, so materials must diffuse across (low metabolism and takes a long time to heal, compared to bone)

types of cartilage