Cartilage is a shiny white material found in parts of the respiratory tract, the ear and at the ends of articulating bones. The common term would be 'gristle', like the gristle at the end of a chicken bone.

Outerbridge Grade 0 cartilage - normal patellar cartilage
Looking into the knee joint during arthroscoy demonstrates that the normal joint cartilage is firm and shiny.

 

Hyaline cartilage

Joint cartilage is also called 'hyaline cartilage' or 'articular cartilage'. A different variety of cartilage occurs in the meniscus, and in the windpipe.

Back to top

 

-

Dr Sheila Strover (Editor)
BSc (Hons), MB BCh, MBA

See biography...