How does hyaline cartilage differ from elastic cartilage?
1 Answer
Characteristics of cartilage are several: it is an avascular (no blood supply) connective tissue with fibers that are embedded in a firm gel. It has the flexibility of firm plastic
It has no canal system or blood vessels (like bone). So the
chondrocytes (cartilage cells) receive oxygen and nutrients by diffusion.
There is a perichondrium which is a fibrous covering of the cartilage,
Cartilage types differ because of the amount of matrix present and the amounts of elastic and collagenous fibers.
Hyaline cartilage is the most common type and it covers the articular surfaces of bones.
It forms the costal cartilages, cartilage rings in the trachea, bronchi of the lungs, and the tip of the nose.
It is formed by specialized cells in centers of chondrification, which secrete the matrix material. The chondrocytes are isolated into lacunae.
Elastic cartilage forms external ear, epiglottis, and Eustachian tubes. it has a large number of elastic fibers which confers elasticity and resiliency.
