122 JUNCTION BETWEEN CARTILAGE AND TENDON. 



cartilage cells. These masses of bioplasm are often 

 so very small that their presence has been entirely 

 overlooked. Certain forms of cartila.ge are prone to 

 undergo other clianges after their formation is com- 

 plete. Among the m.ost important of iJiese is the 

 deposition of grannies of calcareous matter in the 

 substance of the matrix. § 208. 



173. Junction between cartilage and tendon. — 

 Wherever different tissues are connected with one 

 another, the formed material of the one passes by 

 continaity of structure into that of the other. This 

 point is well seen in the case of cartilage and tendon. 

 The fibrous tissue of the tendon gradually shades 

 into the apparently ho"m.ogeneous matrix of the car- 

 tilage. In some of my specimens striped muscle is 

 seen to pass into the tendon, and the latter into 

 cartilage, by continuity of tissue. In each of these 

 three textures we observe masses of bioplasm bearing 

 precisely the same general relation to the formed 

 material of the respective tissues, although these differ 

 from one another so very much in physical properties, 

 chemical composition, structure, and action. 



l'J4. Of the formation of the septa or partitions 

 between the bioplasts. — -The formation of the so-called 

 septa between the cells or masses of bioplasm has 

 been explained in different ways. Instead of the 

 bioplasm being considered as the active, growing, 

 living, part of the cartilage, it has been supposed that 

 the "formed material extends itself inwards into it, and 

 divides this hving, growing substance into two or 

 more parts ; but it need scarcely be said that matrix, 

 like other kinds of formed material, is perfectly pas- 

 sive : it may be added to, but it has no faculty of 

 formation, nor can it move. Virchow says that the 

 capsule of the cartilage cell sends in septa, " which 

 serve as new envelopes for the young cells, yet in 

 such a way, that even the gigantic groups of cells, 

 ■which proceed from each of the original cells, are 



