68 CONNECTIVE TISSUE CARTILAGE BONE 



character of these fibers determines the variety of cartilage. Three 

 varieties are thus distinguished: hyaline cartilage, in which no specific 

 fibers can ordinarily be demonstrated within the matrix ; elastic cartilage, 

 whose matrix is permeated by elastic fibers; and fibro cartilage, whose 

 matrix contains collagenous fibers. 



* t 



:* ", c 



FIG. 81. TRANSECTION OF A PLATE OP HYALINE CARTILAGE, FROM THE TRACHEA OP 



A CHILD. 



The margin of the fibrous perichondrium can be seen on either side of the plate of 

 cartilage, in the upper right and lower left hand corners of the figure. Hematein 

 and eosin. Photo. X 400. The dark bodies are shrunken cells within lacunae. 



Hyaline Cartilage. This is the most abundant of the three varie- 

 ties, commonly known as gristle. It is found in the respiratory system, 

 forming the cartilages of the nose, larynx, trachea, and bronchial tubes; 

 in the costal cartilages of the ribs; as articular cartilages covering the 

 ends of long bones ; and in the fetus, where in the course of development 

 of the bones, the entire skeleton, excepting only the flat bones of the skull 

 and face, at first consist of hyaline cartilage. In most of these loca- 

 tions the cartilage occurs as platelike masses, which are invested by a vas- 



