Cartilage

Looks like

Smooth, white, slippery tissue capping bone ends, with no blood supply of its own.

What it does

Lets joints glide with almost no friction and spreads load.

Keeping it well

Movement feeds it — it has no vessels; keep weight down and keep moving, because it heals poorly once worn.

Its parts

• Cuneiform cartilage
• Corniculate cartilage

Related conditions

• Gout
• Haemophilia & bleeding disorders
• Lyme disease
• Marfan syndrome & connective tissue disorders
• Osteoarthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Rheumatic fever & rheumatic heart disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sarcoma
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Temporomandibular joint disorder