70 



CONNECTIVE TISSUE CAETILAGE BONE 



The matrix of hyaline cartilage is devoid of fibrous or cellular structure. 

 Chemically it consists of collagen, chondromucoid and albuminoid sub- 

 stances. Von Korff (1914) interprets hyaline matrix as being composed 

 of matrical fibrils masked by a homogeneous cementing substance. 



During life, or if the tissue is examined in the fresh state, the car- 

 tilage cell entirely fills the lacuna in which it lies. But shortly after death 

 shrinkage of these cells begins, so that after some hours a considerable 

 space intervenes between the cell and the wall of its lacuna. It has been 

 supposed that this space was occupied during life by lymph. It would, 



however, seem more probable 

 that it is partially the result of 

 post-mortem shrinkage of the 

 cell. 



Frequently, and especially in 

 developing cartilage, concentric 

 lines may be seen surrounding 

 each lacuna. These lines have 

 been described as the 'cell cap- 

 sule.' They appear only to in- 

 dicate the successive layers of 

 material which have been de- 

 posited by the cell, and which 

 have fused together to form its 

 surrounding matrix. 



Cartilage arises from a mes- 

 enchymal syncytium in which 

 the matrix is formed from the 

 exoplasm of the syncytial tissue, 



the cartilage cell representing its endoplasm. The so-called capsule of 

 the cartilage cell would accordingly represent the partially modified bor- 

 der line between the original endo- and exoplasm, and would thus cor- 

 respond to similar conditions which are observed in other forms of devel- 

 oping connective tissue. 



Cartilage cells frequently contain small droplets of fat, and these may 

 coalesce until the cell is completely transformed into a fat cell. Isolated 

 masses of adipose tissue, resulting from the transformed groups of carti- 

 lage cells, thus make their appearance within the cartilaginous plates. This 

 fatty metamorphosis is most marked in the elastic variety of cartilage. 



By coloration with iodin, glycogen granules may also be demonstrated 

 in the cartilage cells. 



FIG. 83. ELASTIC CARTILAGE FROM THE 



HUMAN EPIGLOTTIS, SHOWING THE LARGE 



OVOID CARTILAGE CELLS AND THE VERY 



DELICATE RETICULUM OF ELASTIC FIBERS. 



Ehrlich's triacid stain. X 550. 



