Table of Contents
Why cartilage do not have blood vessels?
Cartilage is made up of specialized cells called chondrocytes. These chondrocytes produce large amounts of extracellular matrix composed of collagen fibres, proteoglycan, and elastin fibers. There are no blood vessels in cartilage to supply the chondrocytes with nutrients.
Which cartilage is avascular?
Cartilage does not contain blood vessels (it is avascular) or nerves (it is aneural). Some fibrocartilage such as the meniscus of the knee does however have blood supply in part. Nutrition is supplied to the chondrocytes by diffusion….
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| Anatomical terminology |
Why is cartilage more flexible than bone?
Cartilage is one of the types of connective tissue in your body. It consists of cells called chondrocytes mixed with collagen and sometimes elastin fibers meshed into a matrix. It’s softer and more flexible than bone. Elastic cartilage contains elastin fibers, making it more flexible than other types of cartilage.
Does cartilage have blood supply?
Cartilage, once synthesized, lacks lymphatic or blood supply and the movement of waste and nutrition is chiefly via diffusion to and from adjacent tissues. Cartilage, like bone, is surrounded by a perichondrium-like fibrous membrane.
Why are most cartilage and tendons avascular?
Vascular means that it has a blood supply, because it needs oxygen to operate normally. Avascularity is the complete absence of any blood vessels;simply because that part of the body does not require them. Most cartilage is located inside of the joint capsule, surrounded by the synovium.
Why does cartilage heal slowly compared to bone?
Chondrocytes rely on diffusion to obtain nutrients as, unlike bone, cartilage is avascular, meaning there are no vessels to carry blood to cartilage tissue. This lack of blood supply causes cartilage to heal very slowly compared with bone. What parts of the body are classified as connective tissue?
Why are there no blood vessels in cartilage?
Without nearby blood vessels, nutrient-filled fluid cannot permeate deep into bone tissue to provide effective perfusion to living cells. In cartilage, there are no blood vessels or nerves. Instead, cartilage cells (chondrocytes) exchange nutrients and waste through diffusion with surrounding “ground substance”.
How does the articular cartilage receive its nutrition?
In the adult, articular cartilage receives nutrition only by diffusion from the synovial fluid, and the subchondral or epiphyseal bone receives nutrition only from the blood supply to the bone. Kevin E. Wilk DPT, PT, Michael M. Reinold PT, DPT, ATC, CSCS, in Noyes’ Knee Disorders: Surgery, Rehabilitation, Clinical Outcomes, 2010