How many cartilage are there in the human body

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. Fibrous cartilage has many collagen fibers and is found in the intervertebral discs and pubic symphysis. Elastic cartilage is present in the ear, nose and parts of the lungs. It is a highly flexible formulation of cartilage.

Fibrocartilage is found in the menisci of the knee and the discs of the spine. It is far less flexible than elastic cartilage. Hyaline cartilage is found at the ends of bones — lining the joints of the body — as well as the septum of the nose and part of the breathing tube.

Hyaline, or articular, cartilage covers the ends of bones to create a low-friction environment and cushion at the joint surface. If the cartilage begins to degenerate with age, or if it were to become damaged from an injury, the joint loses some of that protective cushion and exposes underlying bone ends. This damage can lead to excess stress of those areas of bone that are ill-equipped to handle strong forces.

Bryan M. June 15, Types of freely movable joints. Read this next. Understanding Cartilage, Joints, and the Aging Process. Medically reviewed by Craig Tifford, MD. Medically reviewed by Lindsay Slowiczek, PharmD. Medically reviewed by Kevin Martinez, M. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. This surgical technique involves removing damaged cartilage and then making small holes just beneath the cartilage in an area of bone known as the subchondral bone.

This creates a new blood supply that will ideally stimulate healing. The drilling approach is similar to microfracture. It involves making small holes in the subchondral area as a means of stimulating healing and new cartilage growth by increasing blood supply. This approach involves taking a piece of healthy cartilage from a non-weight-bearing area of the body and applying it to a damaged area.

This type is usually only used on a small area of damage because a surgeon cannot take an excess of healthy tissue. Unlike the other tissue grafts, an allograft comes from a cadaver donor, not the person themselves. The allografts can usually treat larger areas of injury than an autograft. Although doctors can perform these procedures to promote healing, the cartilage may grow at a slow rate.

Doctors will likely recommend physical therapy and other techniques in the meantime to promote mobility. Researchers are exploring new ways of healing and treating damaged cartilage besides increasing blood supply and performing cartilage grafts.

Examples include trying to use stem cells to grow into healthy cartilage and attempting to create a microgel like the matrix that nourishes cartilage. However, these approaches are still in the clinical trial stages and will take time and testing before new techniques emerge. Costochondritis is an inflammation of the cartilage in the rib cage. Learn about costochondritis symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment. Cartilage cushions joints and helps them work smoothly. It naturally degenerates with age, which may lead to osteoarthritis.

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