cartilage (kar'til-ej)

Syn.: gristle, cartilaginous (or chondrogenous) ti ue. A tough elastic ti ue composed of characteristic cells and an abundant intercellular substance or matrix, found in various parts of the body, and forming the primordial skeleton (temporary c.) or persisting throughout life (permanent c). It presents three varieties, according to the matrix: i. Hyaline, or true c, with a translucent, nearly or quite homogeneous matrix. 2. White fibroc, in which the matrix is composed mostly of white fibrous ti ue. 3. Elastic c, in which the matrix is made up of a dense network of elastic ti ue. The chemical constituents, beside inorganic salts, are chondromucoid, chondrorbin, sulphuric acid, collagen, and albuminoid. The nutrition of c. is by imbibition, alar c's. Two c's, one on each side, of the situated nose, forming below the the upper anterior lateral part the framework of the nostril, annular c. 1. A ring-shaped c, especially one lying between the conchal c. and the external auditory meatus, aortic c. The right second costal c, from its situation in front of the arch of the aorta, arthrodial c, articular c. A thin layer of permanent c. covering the articular surface of a bone, arytenoid, c's. Two