Hyaline cartilage and elastic cartilage are two different cartilage forms. The connective tissue in the human body is called cartilage. It is flexible.
The expansion and structure of bones totally depend on the cartilage. During the fetus’s development, the cartilage plays a vital role.
Key Takeaways
- Hyaline cartilage is found in joints, while elastic cartilage is found in areas such as the ear and nose.
- Hyaline cartilage is less flexible and less elastic than elastic cartilage.
- Hyaline cartilage has a smoother surface and is more resistant to wear and tear than elastic cartilage.
Hyaline Cartilage vs Elastic Cartilage
Hyaline cartilage is the most common type of cartilage in the human body, which has a white, glassy appearance, a firm consistency, and a considerable amount of collagen. Elastic cartilage is the least known type of cartilage in the body that looks yellow and has elastin fibers considerably.
The word hyaline means glass. It has a glass-like appearance, so it is called hyaline cartilage. It is found in translucent cartilage. It is also found in the nose and larynx.
Pearl-grey color is the hyaline cartilage. The hyaline cartilage has a firm consistency.
The amount of collagen is also considerable in hyaline cartilage. There are no nerves and blood vessels in hyaline cartilage.
The structure of hyaline cartilage is very simple and easy to identify.
The elastic cartilage is also called yellow cartilage for its yellowish appearance. This cartilage is present in the ear of the human body.
Elastic cartilage is responsible for the shape of the external auditory meatus. The external auditory meatus is a corniculate, eustachian tube, and cuneiform.
The elasticity and elastin fibers are rich in elastic cartilage. Like hyaline cartilage, the elastic cartilage also has type II collagen. The primary protein of elastic cartilage is elastin.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of comparison | Hyaline Cartilage | Elastic Cartilage |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Hyaline cartilage is milk-white | Elastic cartilage is yellow |
| Found in | Hyaline cartilage is found in ribs, trachea and nose | Elastic cartilage is found in the larynx and ear |
| Flexibility | Hyaline cartilage is less flexible | Elastic cartilage is more flexible |
| Elasticity | Hyaline cartilage has less elasticity | Elastic cartilage has more elasticity |
| Fibers | Hyaline cartilage has less elastin fibers | Elastic cartilage has more fibers |
What is Hyaline Cartilage?
The perichondrium is a fibrous substance that covers the hyaline cartilage and gives protection to the cartilage. By the process called diffusion, this membrane will provide nutrients to the cartilage.
It is called a synovial membrane when it works along articulating surfaces. Type II collagen is present in the hyaline cartilage.
Other than type II college, it also has chondroitin sulfate.
The ends of the ribs and larynx are rich in hyaline cartilage. Hyaline cartilage is responsible for the structure of the body.
The hyaline cartilage has more flexibility but has limited mobility. The hyaline cartilage is also responsible for embryonic skeleton development in the fetus.
This process of developing embryonic development is nothing but elasmobranch fish. Chondrocytes are cells which is rich in hyaline cartilage.
The chondrocyte cells look bluntly angular in shape. When chondrocytes are in contact, they make straight lines, and the rest are in rounded form.
The chondrocytes are rich in protoplasm, which are minute granules.
There is an artificial gap between the cavities of the cartilage, that gaps are called cartilage lacunae. There is more amount of collagen present in the isogenous cell groups.
Only these collagen groups help in the structure of the body. On the articular surfaces of the human body, there is a presence of articular cartilage, which is nothing but hyaline cartilage.
The superficial zone of articular cartilage contains more amount of collagen fibers. Osteoarthritis is the state of the biological breakdown of articular cartilage.
What is Elastic Cartilage?
By histological, hyaline cartilage and elastic cartilage have similar properties. But the elastic cartilage is rich in yellow fibers, which is elastic in nature.
The yellow fibers in elastic cartilage are a solid matrix inside. Haematoxylin and eosin are the two special stains used for the yellow fibers in elastic cartilage.
These yellow fibers achieve greater flexibility in the elastic cartilage. Instead of hematoxylin and eosin, Weigert’s stain and orcein are also used.
Elastic cartilage is also rich in chondrocytes like hyaline cartilage. There is a space between these chondrocytes, which is called a lacuna.
The outer layer of elastic cartilage is the perichondrium. The epiglottis and pinnae have this membrane.
When the elastin fibers react with the Verhoeff stain, they appear purple or black.
The edges of the perichondrium contain chondroblasts which are responsible for the production of the extracellular matrix.
Elastic cartilage has elastic chains, which are produced by a process called co-polymerize. In co-polymerize, the fibrillin combines with elastin fibers.
The elastic chains undergo several structure reformations. It becomes disorganized by tensile pressure and becomes organized by releasing the pressure.
The elastic cartilage is responsible for the structure and provides support to the human body.
Main Differences Between Hyaline Cartilage and Elastic Cartilage
- When compared to elastic cartilage, Hyaline cartilage has a fewer amount of elastin fibers.
- The elasticity of hyaline cartilage is low, whereas the elasticity of elastic cartilage is high.
- Hyaline cartilage looks milky white, whereas elastic cartilage looks yellow.
- Hyaline cartilage is found in four different parts of the human body, whereas elastic cartilage is found in two parts of the human body.
- When compared to elastic cartilage, the size of chondrocytes is larger in elastic cartilage.
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/000348949009900509
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00221374
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
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