ECN 801 EXAM PREPARATION TEST BANK
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
●● What is the key difference between cartilage and bone as specialized
CT?
Answer: Cartilage provides flexible/tensile support; bone is the strongest
CT and stores Ca²⁺.
●● What are the major functions of cartilage?
Answer: Structural support that is firm but not rigid + template for bone
development.
●● What key properties distinguish cartilage?
Answer: High tensile strength, avascular, low metabolic rate, limited
adult growth/repair, and no innervation.
●● What are the 3 cartilage cell types?
Answer: Chondrogenic cells, chondroblasts, and chondrocytes.
●● What makes up cartilage ECM?
Answer: Fibers (collagen or elastic) + ground substance.
●● What is the perichondrium?
,Answer: CT layer surrounding most cartilage.
●● Trace cartilage cell development.
Answer: Mesenchymal cell → chondroblast → chondrocyte.
●● What does a chondroblast do?
Answer: Secretes extracellular matrix.
●● What happens as chondroblasts secrete ECM?
Answer: They become separated by ECM, occupy lacunae, and mature
into chondrocytes.
●● What is a chondrocyte?
Answer: Mature cartilage cell located in a lacuna.
●● What is a lacuna?
Answer: Small space in the cartilage matrix occupied by a cartilage cell.
●● What is an isogenous group?
Answer: A cluster/cell nest of related cartilage cells originating from the
same precursor.
●● Under what condition does cartilage development occur?
, Answer: Low O₂ conditions.
●● Territorial vs. interterritorial matrix?
Answer: Territorial = darker matrix immediately around isogenous
groups; interterritorial = lighter matrix farther between groups.
●● Why does territorial matrix stain darker?
Answer: Chondrocytes can still leak chemical components into the
matrix immediately around them.
●● What are the 2 layers of the perichondrium?
Answer: Outer fibrous layer + inner chondrogenic layer.
●● What is in the outer fibrous layer of the perichondrium?
Answer: Fibroblasts producing dense irregular CT.
●● What is in the inner chondrogenic layer of the perichondrium?
Answer: Chondrogenic cells transitioning toward chondroblasts.
●● Interstitial vs. appositional cartilage growth?
Answer: Interstitial = growth from within; appositional = growth added
at the surface.
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
●● What is the key difference between cartilage and bone as specialized
CT?
Answer: Cartilage provides flexible/tensile support; bone is the strongest
CT and stores Ca²⁺.
●● What are the major functions of cartilage?
Answer: Structural support that is firm but not rigid + template for bone
development.
●● What key properties distinguish cartilage?
Answer: High tensile strength, avascular, low metabolic rate, limited
adult growth/repair, and no innervation.
●● What are the 3 cartilage cell types?
Answer: Chondrogenic cells, chondroblasts, and chondrocytes.
●● What makes up cartilage ECM?
Answer: Fibers (collagen or elastic) + ground substance.
●● What is the perichondrium?
,Answer: CT layer surrounding most cartilage.
●● Trace cartilage cell development.
Answer: Mesenchymal cell → chondroblast → chondrocyte.
●● What does a chondroblast do?
Answer: Secretes extracellular matrix.
●● What happens as chondroblasts secrete ECM?
Answer: They become separated by ECM, occupy lacunae, and mature
into chondrocytes.
●● What is a chondrocyte?
Answer: Mature cartilage cell located in a lacuna.
●● What is a lacuna?
Answer: Small space in the cartilage matrix occupied by a cartilage cell.
●● What is an isogenous group?
Answer: A cluster/cell nest of related cartilage cells originating from the
same precursor.
●● Under what condition does cartilage development occur?
, Answer: Low O₂ conditions.
●● Territorial vs. interterritorial matrix?
Answer: Territorial = darker matrix immediately around isogenous
groups; interterritorial = lighter matrix farther between groups.
●● Why does territorial matrix stain darker?
Answer: Chondrocytes can still leak chemical components into the
matrix immediately around them.
●● What are the 2 layers of the perichondrium?
Answer: Outer fibrous layer + inner chondrogenic layer.
●● What is in the outer fibrous layer of the perichondrium?
Answer: Fibroblasts producing dense irregular CT.
●● What is in the inner chondrogenic layer of the perichondrium?
Answer: Chondrogenic cells transitioning toward chondroblasts.
●● Interstitial vs. appositional cartilage growth?
Answer: Interstitial = growth from within; appositional = growth added
at the surface.
