Cartilage

 

 Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue found

in areas in the bodies of humans and other

animals, including the joints between bones,

the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the bronchial

tubes and the intervertebral discs.

 

It is not as hard and rigid as bone but is stiffer

and less flexible than muscle. Cartilage is

composed of specialized cells called chon-

drocytes that produce a large amount of extra-

cellular matrix composed of collagen fibers,

abundant ground substance rich in proteo-

glycan, and elastin fibers. Cartilage is

classified in three types, elastic cartilage,

hyaline cartilage and fibrocartilage, which

differ in the relative amounts of these three

main components.

 

Chondroblasts that get caught in the matrix

are called chondrocytes. They lie in spaces

called lacunae with up to eight chondrocytes

per lacuna. Unlike other connective tissues,

chondrocytes are supplied by diffusion,

helped by the pumping action generated by

compression of the articular cartilage or flex-

ion of the elastic cartilage. Thus, compared to

other connective tissues, cartilage grows and

repairs more slowly.

 

C2 Flex is designed o speed up the repair

and rebuilding process of your cartilage

whereas new cartilage growth can been

viewed via xrays or MRI's.