Articular cartilage

The articular cartilage is a type of specialized connective tissue present in synovial joints. It is composed of hyaline cartilage with a dense extracellular matrix and scattered specialized cells of the cartilage known as chondrocytes.

The extracellular matrix is mainly composed of collagen, proteoglycans, and glycoproteins which help to retain the water molecules in the matrix. Interestingly, the cartilage doesn't have any blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatic tissue.

The main function of the articular cartilage is to provide an optimal surface for enabling movement in the joint. More specifically, it prevents friction between the bones and facilitates the transmission of loads to the underlying bone.

The articular cartilage is of great clinical importance because its injury can cause a significant musculoskeletal dysfunction. In addition, this cartilage has a limited ability of healing and repair, thus its preservation during life is of key importance for well-being.

Terminology	English: Articular cartilage Latin: Cartilago articularis
Definition	Specialized connective tissue present in synovial joints
Function	Facilitates the movements in the joints, prevents friction and enables transmission of load

Learn more about the strucutre and types of joints with the following study unit:

Sources

All content published on Kenhub is reviewed by medical and anatomy experts. The information we provide is grounded on academic literature and peer-reviewed research. Kenhub does not provide medical advice. You can learn more about our content creation and review standards by reading our content quality guidelines.

Sophia Fox AJ, Bedi A, Rodeo SA. The basic science of articular cartilage: structure, composition, and function. Sports Health. 2009 Nov;1(6):461-8. doi: 10.1177/1941738109350438. PMID: 23015907; PMCID: PMC3445147.
Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F., & Agur, A. M. R. (2014). Clinically Oriented Anatomy (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Standring, S. (2016). Gray's Anatomy (41st ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone

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