Function:

 Providing support with both elasticity and firmness

 Forming the earliest skeleton in the fetus

 Cartilage is essential for the development and growth of long bones before and after birth

 o Embryology of cartilage

 i. Cartilage arises from stem cells, and some mesenchyme cells aggregate to form a blastema

 ii. Blastema cells secrete cartilage matrix and are called chondroblastChondrocyte

 Oval to round mature cartilage

 It is chondroblast surrounded by matrix space(lacuna)

 Young chondrocyte can divided but the adult chondrocyte cannot..