ABSTRACT
Cartilage is a soft and rather flexible connective tissue well represented in most vertebrates in many areas of the body. This tissue is comprised of chondrocytes included in an extracellular matrix mainly composed of collagen fibers, carbohydrates, glycoproteins and water. In the first part of this brief review, we consider the basic histological features of the four types of cartilage, i.e., hyaline, elastic, fibrous and calcified cartilages. The ultrastructural aspects of chondrocytes and extracellular matrix complete the morphological description. The second part is devoted to functional aspects, with a description of the main steps of chondrogenesis and cartilage growth, along with the signaling pathways involved in these processes. The involvement of cartilage in growth plate activity (endochondral ossification), its mechanical behavior, repair and death mechanisms are discussed.
