What is cartilage?
Q: What is cartilage?
A: Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found in many parts of the body. It can bend a bit, but resists stretching. Its main function is to connect bones together.
Q: Where is cartilage found in the body?
A: Cartilage is found in the joints, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the throat and between the bones of the back.
Q: What other functions does cartilage have?
A: Cartilage also creates a place on which bones can form when they are first developed and helps to protect places where bones work against each other - such as joints. In some fish like sharks (Chondrichthyes), it forms their whole skeleton.
Q: Does cartilage contain blood vessels or nerves?
A: No, unlike other connective tissues, cartilage does not contain blood vessels or nerves. The cells are supplied by diffusion instead.
Q: How does this affect its growth and repair rate compared to other connective tissues?
A: Because it doesn't contain blood vessels or nerves, compared to other connective tissues, cartilage grows and repairs more slowly.
Q: What diseases can be caused by defects in cartilage?
A: One of the most common diseases caused by defects in cartilage is osteoarthritis - where the cartilage wears so thin that bone rubs against bone.
Q: What advantages do surgeons have when transplanting cartilages from one person to another?
A: Cartilages act as a barrier preventing entry of lymphocytes or diffusion of immunoglobulins - meaning surgeons can transplant them without fear of tissue rejection.
