Differentiate between Bone and Cartilage.

Bone

Cartilage

Description

A bone is a rigid organ that forms part of the vertebral skeleton.

Cartilage is a flexible connective tissue that stops the bone from rubbing against each other.

Types

Bones are of two types: compact or spongy. They are also classified into long, short, flat, irregular, sesamoid and sutural bones.

Hyaline cartilage, fibrocartilage and elastic cartilage.

Function

Protect the body against mechanical damage, assist in the movement of the body, provide a framework and shape for the body, store minerals, and produce red blood and white blood cells.

Reducing friction at joints, supporting the respiratory tract, acting as shock absorbers between weight-bearing bones, and maintaining the shape and flexibility of fleshy appendages.

Structure

Bones are made up mostly of osteoblasts (progenitor cells), osteocytes (mature bone cells), and osteoclasts (large cells that breakdown bone tissue for growth and repair).

Cartilages comprise chondroblasts, (precursor cells), chondrocytes, and a dense matrix of collagen and elastic fibers, in which the mature chondrocytes are embedded.

Location

Bones make up the majority of the axial and appendicular skeleton.

Cartilage is a much softer, more pliable component that is mostly found in between the joints of the bones, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, the bronchial tubes and the intervertebral discs.

Characteristics

Hard, inelastic and tough.

Soft, elastic and flexible.

Bone cells are known as osteocytes

Cartilage cells are known as chondrocytes

Has a vascular matrix, i.e. has blood vessels

Has a non-vascular matrix, i.e. does not have blood vessels

The matrix occurs in the lamellae

The matrix is a homogenous mass without lamellae

Matrix has a protein called ossein

Matrix has a protein called chondrin

The matrix is both organic and inorganic

The matrix is completely organic

The matrix has calcium salts, specifically calcium phosphates

The matrix may or may not have calcium salts

The bones have a rich blood supply

Each cartilage lacks blood supply except in perichondrium

Growth pattern of the bone is bidirectional

Growth pattern of the cartilage is unidirectional

Osteocytes have filopodia

Chondrocytes lack protoplasmic process

Lacunae gives off canaliculi

Lacunae lack canaliculi

Each lacunae has only one osteocytes (bone cell)

Each lacunae has 2-3 chondrocytes

Bone marrow is present and actually helps create blood cells

No bone marrow or similar structure

Haversian systems and Volkman’s canals are present

No Haversian systems or Volkman’s canals