Elastic Cartilage Quiz

Cartilage Characteristics

• Cartilage is NOT a characteristic of bone tissue.
• Cartilage provides a framework for the growth and development of bones.

Types of Cartilage

• There are three types of cartilage: hyaline, elastic, and fibrocartilage.
• Elastic cartilage contains an abundant network of elastic fibers and is found in the external ear and epiglottis.
• Fibrocartilage is found in intervertebral discs and the symphysis pubis.

Cartilage Growth

• Cartilage grows through two mechanisms: appositional growth and interstitial growth.
• Appositional growth occurs through the formation of new cartilage on the surface of existing cartilage.
• Interstitial growth occurs through the formation of new cartilage within existing cartilage.

Bone Tissue

• The major organic component of the extracellular matrix of bone tissue is collagen.
• Bone tissue forms through two main processes: intramembranous ossification and endochondral ossification.
• Intramembranous ossification occurs in areas of ordinary mesenchyme where osteoblasts differentiate directly within richly vascularized connective tissue.
• Endochondral ossification involves the invasion of the diaphysis by a periosteal bud containing capillaries, mesenchymal cells, and osteoprogenitor cells.

Bone Growth

• Bone growth occurs at the growth plate of long bones.
• The growth plate is composed of several zones, including a zone of resting cartilage, a zone of proliferation, a zone of maturation, and a zone of hypertrophy.

Bone Tissue Types

• Compact bone tissue has collagen fibers arranged in lamellae.
• The rough endoplasmic reticulum is prominent in the cytoplasm of osteoblasts.

Cartilage Functions

• Hyaline cartilage provides a framework for the growth and development of bones.
• Fibrocartilage is found in areas subject to high stress, such as intervertebral discs and the symphysis pubis.
• Fibrocartilage contains type I collagen.