Bone vs. Cartilage

Main Difference

Bones are hard connective tissues which form skeletal system while cartilages are soft connective tissues which are present in nose, ear, joints and on the coverings of bones.

Difference Between Bone and Cartilage

Comparison Chart

Bone vs. Cartilage

A bone is a hard connective tissue of the body that have whitish tissue that completes the skeleton in humans and other vertebrates. On the other hand, Cartilage is a stiff, flexible and connected tissue and mostly have their location on the larynx and ear. Initially, they exist in large amounts in the body but when a person grows up, gets replaced by bone. Some of the main types of cartilage include the hyaline, fibro and elastic types. On the other hand, some of the primary types of bones include compact bones and cancellous bones. The location of bones exists throughout the body from our skull, ribs, legs, arms, back and even thighs. On the other hand, the area of cartilage in our body ranges from ears. Nose, larynx, trachea, joints, discs, and epiglottis. Cartilage has a flexible nature with elasticity as a feature and flexibility existing. On the other hand, bones have a hard texture, less flexible, also lack any flexibility but have toughness. Bones always have an abundant supply of blood and therefore have more delicate features and strength, on the other hand, cartilage does not have a supply of fresh blood except for the perichondrium. The matrix of cartilage may have calcium salts, but for most cases, it does not exist. Although, calcium salts lives in the bones.

What is Bone?

Bones are strong, flexible and semi rigid supporting connective tissues. Bone is made up of cells and extracellular matrix. Cells of bones are called osteoblasts and osteocytes. Two other types of cells are also present which are osteoclasts and osteoprogenitor cells. The extracellular matrix of bones is made up of an organic matrix (30%) containing proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, glycoproteins, osteonectin, and osteocalcin. Besides these, collagen fibers are present. 70% bone is made up of a bone mineral called hydroxyapatite, and 30% is made up of water. Bones are resistant to twisting, bending, compression, and stretch. It is hard because it is calcified and collagen fibers help it to resist tensile stresses. The primary bone which is formed at any site is called woven bone which is soon replaced by lamellar bone. In woven bone, the collagen fibers are random while in lamellar bone, these are parallel in layers. There are two types of mature bones; compact and spongy bones. Compact bones are found in the shaft of long bones in the diaphysis. These are 80% of all bones. Spongy bones are located at the ends of long bones in the epiphysis. These make 20% of all bones. Red bone marrow and a network of bony trabeculae are present in spongy bones. A dense fibrous layer where muscles insert, called periosteum is found on the outside of bones. Bone forming cells are also found in the periosteum. Tissues that cover the inner surface of bones are called endosteum. The inner cavity of bones contains blood vessels and bone marrow which nourish the bone and play a significant role in its growth. There are two ways of growth in bones; endochondral and intramembranous. Endochondral is the formation of bone onto temporary cartilage model while intramembranous is the formation of bone directly onto fibrous connective tissues. This type of bone formation occurs in a few specialized places such as the flat bones of skull, maxilla, mandible, and clavicles. Cells of mesenchyme differentiate into osteoprogenitor cells, then into osteoblasts, which secrete the bone matrix. Once the osteoblasts are embedded in the matrix, they are called as osteocytes.

What is Cartilage?

Cartilage is a flexible, strong and semi rigid supporting tissue. It can withstand compression but also show bending. It is made up of cells (chondroblasts and chondrocytes) and extracellular matrix. Besides these, 10% aggrecan, 75% water and a mix of collagen fibers are also present. Cartilages are used to form supporting framework of some organs, articulating surfaces of some organs and to constitute the template for the growth and development of long bones. Cartilages are of three types; hyaline cartilage, fibrocartilage, and elastic cartilage. Hyaline cartilage is most common which has a glassy appearance. Fibrocartilages are tendon insertions and invertebral discs which are reinforced with parallel bundles of collagen fibers. Elastic cartilages are external ear and epiglottis and resilient which has elastic fibers as well as collagen fibers. Cartilages are avascular so are nourished by long range diffusion from nearby capillaries in the perichondrium. So cartilages cannot become thick because diffusion would not be sufficient to supply the cartilage with nutrients and oxygen. There are two ways of cartilage growth; interstitial growth and appositional growth. In interstitial growth, chondrocytes grow and divide and lay down more matrix inside the existing cartilage. It happens during childhood and adolescence. In appositional growth, new surface layers of the matrix are added to the pre-existing matrix by new chondroblasts from the perichondrium.