ct_07. Hyaline cartilage tissue
(hematoxylin-eosin)
1. Take a closer look at the structure of the cartilage. Pay special attention to the change in the shape, position and number of cells in the direction from the surface to the depth of the tissue, as well as to the color differences of the intercellular substance (matrix):
- find the perichondrium which surrounds the cartilage and includes two separate layers:
- an outer fibrous layer is composed of dense connective tissue and contains blood vessels,
- and an inner chondrogenic layer contains mesenchymal progenitor cells called chondroblasts;
- the flattened spindle-shaped cells in the inner layer of the perichondrium are chondroblasts; they reside in lacunae or little spaces of the intercellular substance, and have a long axis parallel to the cartilage surface;
- deeper in the tissue there are mature cells called chondrocytes; their shape may vary from elongate to spherical;
- groups of 4-8 chondrocytes (isogenous group of chondrocytes or chondrocyte aggegate) may be found in a single lacuna;
- there are two different types of matrix in the cartilage structure:
- territorial matrix is the newly formed basophilic matrix without the fibers that immediately surrounds the chondrocytes, which is also called "cartilage territory";
- interterritorial matrix is more distant and older matrix of the cartilage structure with fibers located among the chondrocytes, it is less basophilic;
- pay attention that the intercellular matrix of a hyaline cartilage contains collagen fibers and amorphous ground substance. However, due to their equal refractive power it is homogeneous in appearance when viewed under a light microscope.
2. Draw and point out:
- 1 - the perichondrium,
- 2 - chondroblasts,
- 3 - isogenous group of chondrocytes,
- 4 - the territorial matrix,
- 5 - the interterritorial matrix.
3. Define and write significant features of the hyaline cartilage tissue