Question: What is cartilage made out of?

Jennifer Paxton answered on 15 Mar 2018:

Cartilage is a special type of tissue made from a protein called collagen ( type 2) and cartilage cells called Chondrocytes. The collagen really likes water so it makes the cartilage quite springy and able to absorb force very well.

Did you know you have three different types of cartilage in your body?
1) articular cartilage- this is at the ends of bones and helps them move smoothly against each other
2) elastic cartilage- this is what your ear is made out of – it’s very springy! Try bending your ear- it will spring back into shape!
3) fibrocartilage – this is found on your ribs

Cartilage is quite special because it is avascular meaning it doesn’t have any blood vessels. This means that when it gets injured it doesn’t repair well at all because no nutrients can get to it. This is why diseases like arthritis get so bad – because the body can’t make any new cartilage to help repair it!