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cartilage

Classification: Subtypes include: 1) hyaline cartilage 2) elastic cartilage 3) fibrocartilage Function: - non vascular connective tissue, flexible, resilient & firm in consistency - cartilage comprises most of the skeleton in the early fetus, but is gradually replaced by bone - cartilage separates the epiphysis from the diaphysis in developing bone, but is gradually lost as bone development reaches completion Structure: Consists of: 1) chondrocytes 2) collagen 3) proteoglycans - aggrecan is the major core protein [2] Expression: Cartilage is found in: 1) joints 2) walls of the thorax 3) tubular structures a) larynx b) trachea c) bronchi 4) ears 5) nose Pathology: - aggrecan degradation is the major cause of cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis [2] - chondrodystrophy is a genetic disease affecting development of cartilage

Related

chondrodystrophy

Specific

accessory nasal cartilage (sesamoid cartilage of nose) alar cartilage; major/greater cartilage; minor/lesser cartilage; accessory quadrate cartilage anulus fibrosus of intervertebral disk articular cartilage articular disc, (fibroplate, interarticular fibrocartilage) arytenoid cartilage auricle (pinna) corniculate cartilage; Santorini cartilage; supra-arytenoid cartilage costal cartilage cricoid cartilage cuneiform cartilage; Morgagni cartilage; Wrisberg cartilage; Morgagni tubercle elastic cartilage epiglottic cartilage fibrocartilage hyaline cartilage intervertebral disk lateral cartilage of nose (lateral process of septal nasal cartilage) meniscus nasal cartilage nucleus pulposus, nucleus gelatinosus or vertebral pulp perichondrium septal nasal cartilage (cartilage of nasal septum, nasal septal/septal/quadrangular cartilage, cartilagenous septum) thyroid cartilage tracheal cartilage/ring tragus (hircus) triticeal cartilage tubal cartilage (cartilage of pharyngotympanic tube/auditory tube) vomeronasal cartilage (Jacobson/paraseptal/vomerine cartilage)

General

musculoskeletal system structure connective tissue

References

  1. Stedman's Medical Dictionary 26th ed, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1995
  2. Journal Watch 25(10):81, 2005 Glasson SS, Askew R, Sheppard B, Carito B, Blanchet T, Ma HL, Flannery CR, Peluso D, Kanki K, Yang Z, Majumdar MK, Morris EA. Deletion of active ADAMTS5 prevents cartilage degradation in a murine model of osteoarthritis. Nature. 2005 Mar 31;434(7033):644-8. PMID: 15800624 - Stanton H, Rogerson FM, East CJ, Golub SB, Lawlor KE, Meeker CT, Little CB, Last K, Farmer PJ, Campbell IK, Fourie AM, Fosang AJ. ADAMTS5 is the major aggrecanase in mouse cartilage in vivo and in vitro. Nature. 2005 Mar 31;434(7033):648-52. PMID: 15800625

Components

chondrocyte