Practice question · Multiple choice
Why does cartilage heal so much more slowly than bone?
Hints
- Compare how each tissue receives its blood supply.
- Bone is penetrated by vessels in Haversian canals; cartilage has none at all.
Show the answer
D. Cartilage is avascular, so cells and materials cannot be delivered rapidly
Why
Cartilage has no blood supply, its chondrocytes are fed by slow diffusion through the matrix, so repair materials cannot be delivered quickly. Bone is well vascularised and heals comparatively fast, which is why a broken bone mends in weeks while damaged knee cartilage may never fully recover.
Practise Connective Tissues: Blood, Cartilage and Bone
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More questions on Connective Tissues: Blood, Cartilage and Bone
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