White Fibrocartilage
• Chondrocytes are very few and small in size.
• Cells are arranged in rows located inside lacunae in between bundles of coarse collagen fibers.
• Perichondrium is absent.
Example: Intervertebral disc, cartilage of pubic symphysis, menisci of knee joint, articular disc of temporomandibular and sternoclavicular joints.
Elastic Cartilage
• Chondrocytes are large arranged singly or in groups of two within the lacunae. Number of chondrocytes is more in elastic cartilage.
• Matrix in elastic cartilage is eosinophilic with lot of branching elastic fibers.
• Elastic cartilage is surrounded by perichondrium which is a two-layered structure—inner cellular and outer fibrous layer.
•Fibrous layer made of collagen fibers.
Cellular layer is made of chondrogenic cells responsible for appositional growth of cartilage.
Example: Epiglottis, Eustachian tube, external acoustic meatus, external ear, corniculate and cuneiform cartilages of larynx.
Hyaline Cartilage
• Hyaline cartilage has typical ground glass appearance with homogenous bluish matrix.
• Chondrocytes lie within the lacunae. They are arranged in groups of 2-6 cells called cell nest. Apposing surfaces of chondrocytes are flattened,
• Matrix is basophilic due to presence of large amount of proteogylcans and homogenous because the refractive index of collagen fibers and ground substance is same
• Matrix around the cell nest looks denser and dark staining and is called territorial matrix. It is the newly formed matrix secreted by the chondrocytes.
• In between the nests is the inter-territorial matrix which is pale staining
• Hyaline cartilage is surrounded by perichondrium which is a two-layered structure-Inner cellular and outer fibrous layer
Fibrous layer made of collagen fibers.
Cellular layer is made of chondrogenic cells responsible for appositional growth of cartilage.
Example: Articular cartilage, fetal skeleton, costal cartilage, epiphyseal plate.