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what is cartilage
Cartilage is an important structural component of the body. It is a firm tissue but is softer and much more flexible than bone.

It is a connective tissue found in many areas of the body including:

    Joints between bones e.g. the elbows, knees and ankles
    Ends of the ribs
    Between the vertebrae in the spine
    Ears and nose
    Bronchial tubes or airways

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.


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