Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ultrastructure of elastic cartilage in the rat external ear

  • Published:
Cell and Tissue Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The structure of elastic cartilage in the external ear of the rat was investigated by transmission and scanning electron microscopy.

The narrow subperichondrial, boundary zone contains predominantly ovoid cells rich in cell organelles: mitochondria, Golgi complex, granular endoplasmic reticulum and small (40–100 nm) vesicles. Scarce glycogen granules and bundles of 6–7 nm cytoplasmic filaments are also present. Deeper in the boundary zone, one or more cytoplasmic lipid droplets appear and cytofilaments become more abundant.

Fully differentiated chondrocytes in the central zone of the cartilage plate resemble white adipose cells. They are globular and contain a single, large cytoplasmic lipid droplet. The cytoplasm is reduced to a thin peripheral rim; it contains a flattened nucleus, few cytoplasmic organelles and abundant, densely packed, cytoplasmic filaments.

The intercellular matrix is very sparse. The pericellular ring consists of collagen fibrils about 20 nm in diameter and a proteoglycan cartilage matrix in the form of a “stellate reticulum”. The complex of these two structures appears in the scanning electron micrographs as a network of randomly oriented, ca 100 nm thick fibrils. Spaces between pericellular rings of matrix also contain thick elastic fibers or plates, apparently devoid of microfibrils. In scanning electron micrographs elastic fibers could be detected only in a few areas, in which they were not obscured by other constituents of the matrix. Immature forms of elastic fibers, oxytalan (pre-elastic) and elaunin fibers, were found in the perichondrial and boundary zones.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akisaka T, Yamamoto H (1979) Freeze fracture image of elastic cartilage in rat epiglottis. J Electron Microsc 28:12–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson DR (1964) The ultrastructure of elastic and hyaline cartilage of the rat. Amer J Anat 144:403–433

    Google Scholar 

  • Baecker R (1928) Zur Histologie des Ohrknorpels der Säuger. Z Mikrosk Anat Forsch 15:274–367

    Google Scholar 

  • Bloom W, Fawcett DW (1975) A Textbook of Histology, 10th edition. WB Saunders Company. Philadelphia London Toronto, p 198

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradamante Ž, Švajger A (1977) Pre-elastic (oxytalan) fibers in developing elastic cartilage of the external ear of the rat. J Anat 123:735–743

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradamante Ž, Kostović-Knežević Lj, Švajger A (1975) Light-and electron microscopic observations on the presence of pre-elastic (oxytalan) fibers around the mature cartilage in the external ear of the rat. Experientia 31:979–980

    Google Scholar 

  • Carnes WH, Hart ML, Hodkin NM (1977) Conformation of aortic elastin revealed by scanning electron microscopy of dissected surfaces. In: Sandberg WR, Gray WR, Franzblau C (eds) Elastin and Elastic Tissue Plenum Press, New York London, p 61

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke IC (1974) Articular cartilage: A review and scanning electron microscope study. II. The territorial fibrillar architecture. J Anat 118:261–280

    Google Scholar 

  • Cotta-Pereira G, Rodrigo FG, David-Ferreira JF (1977) The elastic system fibers. In: Sandberg LB, Gray WR, Franzblau C (eds) Elastin and Elastic Tissue Plenum Press, New York London, p 19

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox RW, Peacock MA (1977) The fine structure of developing elastic cartilage. J Anat 123:283–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Fahrenbach WH, Sanberg LB, Cleary EG (1966) Ultrastructural studies on early elastogenesis. Anat Rec 155:563–576

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullmer HM, Sheetz JH, Narkates AJ (1974) Oxytalan connective tissue fibers: a review. J Oral Pathol 3:291–316

    Google Scholar 

  • Geyer G, Tews K (1971) Electron microscopic study of the fibrillar components in the extracellular space of elastic cartilage. Anat Anz 128:491–496

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg B, Green H (1964) An analysis of collagen secretion by established mouse fibroblast lines. J Cell Biol 22:227–258

    Google Scholar 

  • Holm-Nielsen E (1976) The elastic cartilage in the normal rat epiglottis. I. Fine structure. Cell Tissue Res 173:179–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Holm-Nielsen E, Bytzer P (1979) High resolution scanning electron microscopy of elastic cartilage. J Anat 129:832–831

    Google Scholar 

  • Kewley MA, Stevens FS, Williams G (1977) The presence of fine elastin fibrils within the elastin fibre observed by scanning electron microscopy. J Anat 123:129–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Kostović-Knežević Lj, Švajger A (1975) Cytoplasmic filaments associated with lipid droplets in chondrocytes of the rat auricular cartilage. Experientia 31:581–582

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarides E (1980) Intermediate filaments as mechanical integrators of cellular space. Nature 283:249–256

    Google Scholar 

  • Luckenbill LM, Cohen AS (1966) The association of lipid droplets with cytoplasmic filaments in avian subsynovial adipose cells. J Cell Biol 31:195–199

    Google Scholar 

  • Olson MD, Low FN (1971) The fine structure of developing cartilage in the chick embryo. Am J Anat 131:197–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Quintarelli G, Starcher BC, Vocturo A, Di Gianfilippo F, Gotte L, Mecham RP (1979) Fibrogenesis and biosynthesis of elastin in cartilage. Connect Tissue Res 7:1–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhodin JAG (1974) Histology. A text and atlas. Oxford University Press, New York London Toronto, pp 168, 460, 744

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross R (1973) The elastic fibers. A review. J Histochem Cytochem 21:199–208

    Google Scholar 

  • Sacerdotti C (1900) Über das Knorpelfett. Virchows Arch (Pathol Anat) 159:152–173

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanzone ChF, Reith EJ (1976) The development of the elastic cartilage of the mouse pinna. Am J Anat 146:31–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaffer J (1930) Das Stützgewebe. In: Wv Möllendorff (ed) Handbuch der mikroskopischen Anatomie des Menschen. Bd II/2 Springer Verlag, Berlin, p 1

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmid E, Tapscott S, Bennett GS, Croop J, Fellini SA, Holtzer H, Franke WW (1979) Differential location of different types of intermediate-sized filaments in various tissues of the chick embryo. Differentiation 15:27–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Serafini-Fracassini A, Smith JW (1974) The structure and function of cartilage. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh London, pp 126, 220

    Google Scholar 

  • Šlais J (1957) Development and structure of the cartilage in the rat auricle (Czech) Vest čsl Spol zool 21:25–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Spurr AR (1969) A low viscosity epoxy resin embedding medium for electron microscopy. J Ultrastruct Res 26:31–43

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stockwell RA (1979) Biology of cartilage cells. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Švajger A (1970) Chondrogenesis in the external ear of the rat. Z Anat Entwickl Gesch 131:236–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Švajger A, Kostović-Knežević Lj, Bradamante Ž, Levak-Švajger B (1979) Regeneration phenomena in rat auricular cartilage transplanted under the kidney capsule after digestion of matrix with elastase and hyaluronidase. Rad JAZU 383:363–375

    Google Scholar 

  • Thyberg J, Hinek A (1977) Fine structure of rabbit ear chondrocyte in vitro and after autotransplantation. Cell Tissue Res 180:341–356

    Google Scholar 

  • Trelstad RL, Hayashi K (1979) Tendon collagen fibrillogenesis: intracellular subassemblies and cell surface changes associated with fibril growth. Dev Biol 71:228–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Wassilev WA (1973) Vergleichsuntersuchungen über die intrazytoplasmatischen Filamente in den Chondrozyten. Dokl Akad Nauk SSSR 26:1261–1264

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood EM (1967) An ordered complex of filaments surrounding the lipid droplets in developing adipose cells. Anat Rec 157:437–448

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University Zagreb, Zagreb, Yugoslavia

    Ljiljana Kostović-Knežević, Želimir Bradamante & Anton Švajger

Authors
  1. Ljiljana Kostović-Knežević
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Želimir Bradamante
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Anton Švajger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kostović-Knežević, L., Bradamante, Ž. & Švajger, A. Ultrastructure of elastic cartilage in the rat external ear. Cell Tissue Res. 218, 149–160 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00210101

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00210101

Key words

Search

Navigation