What type of fibers are in fibrocartilage

The chondroblasts then trap themselves in lacunae, small spaces that are no longer in contact with the newly created matrix and contain extracellular fluid.

The chondroblast is now a chondrocyte, which is usually inactive but can still secrete and degrade the matrix depending on the conditions. The majority of body cartilage is synthesized from chondroblasts that are largely inactive at later developmental stages compared to earlier years pre-pubescence. The division of cells within cartilage occurs very slowly.

Therefore, growth in cartilage is usually not based on an increase in size or mass of the cartilage itself. Remodeling of cartilage is predominantly affected by changes and rearrangements of the collagen matrix, which responds to tensile and compressive forces experienced by the cartilage. Cartilage growth thus mainly refers to matrix deposition, but can include both growth and remodeling of the ECM.

Early in fetal development, the greater part of the skeleton is cartilaginous. This temporary cartilage is gradually replaced by bone endochondral ossification , a process that ends at puberty.

In contrast, the cartilage in the joints remains permanently unossified during life. Once damaged, cartilage has limited repair capabilities because chondrocytes are bound in lacunae and cannot migrate to damaged areas. Also, because cartilage does not have a blood supply, the deposition of new matrix is slow.

Damaged hyaline cartilage is usually replaced by fibrocartilage scar tissue. Over the last few years, surgeons and scientists have elaborated a series of cartilage repair procedures that help to postpone the need for joint replacement. These include marrow stimulation techniques, including surgeries, stem cell injections, and grafting of cartilage into damaged areas. However, due to the extremely slow growth of cartilage and its avascular properties, regeneration and growth of cartilage post-injury is still very slow.

Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. Skeletal System. Search for:. Learning Objective Differentiate among the types of cartilage. Key Takeaways Key Points Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue that differs from bone in several ways; it is avascular and its microarchitecture is less organized than bone. Cartilage is not innervated and therefore relies on diffusion to obtain nutrients. This causes it to heal very slowly. The main cell types in cartilage are chondrocytes, the ground substance is chondroitin sulfate, and the fibrous sheath is called perichondrium.

There are three types of cartilage: hyaline, fibrous, and elastic cartilage. Hyaline cartilage is the most widespread type and resembles glass. In the embryo, bone begins as hyaline cartilage and later ossifies.

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Control of Body Movement Some of the body movements can be controlled at will, others cannot. Genetic Information and Protein Synthesis Genes are expressed through the process of protein synthesis. Related Articles No related articles found See all Related Topics. Chondrocytes rely on diffusion to obtain nutrients as, unlike bone, cartilage is avascular, meaning there are no vessels to carry blood to cartilage tissue.

This lack of blood supply causes cartilage to heal very slowly compared with bone. The base substance of cartilage is chondroitin sulfate, and the microarchitecture is substantially less organized than in bone. The cartilage fibrous sheath is called the perichondrium. The division of cells within cartilage occurs very slowly, and thus growth in cartilage is usually not based on an increase in size or mass of the cartilage itself. Articular cartilage function is dependent on the molecular composition of its ECM, which consists mainly of proteoglycans and collagens.

The remodeling of cartilage is predominantly affected by changes and rearrangements of the collagen matrix, which responds to tensile and compressive forces experienced by the cartilage. Cartilage types: Images of microscopic views of the different types of cartilage: elastic, hyaline, and fibrous.

There are three major types of cartilage: hyaline cartilage, fibrocartilage, and elastic cartilage. Hyaline cartilage is the most widespread cartilage type and, in adults, it forms the articular surfaces of long bones, the rib tips, the rings of the trachea, and parts of the skull. This type of cartilage is predominately collagen yet with few collagen fibers , and its name refers to its glassy appearance.

In the embryo, bones form first as hyaline cartilage before ossifying as development progresses. Hyaline cartilage is covered externally by a fibrous membrane, called the perichondrium, except at the articular ends of bones; it also occurs under the skin for instance, ears and nose. Hyaline cartilage is found on many joint surfaces. It contains no nerves or blood vessels, and its structure is relatively simple.

If a thin slice of cartilage is examined under the microscope, it will be found to consist of cells of a rounded or bluntly angular form, lying in groups of two or more in a granular or almost homogeneous matrix. These cells have generally straight outlines where they are in contact with each other, with the rest of their circumference rounded. They consist of translucent protoplasm in which fine interlacing filaments and minute granules are sometimes present.