Elastic cartilage

Elastic cartilage
Lateral side of the auricle
Details
Latin	Cartilago elastica
Identifiers
Code	TH H2.00.03.5.00018
Dorlands /Elsevier	c_12/12216650
TA
TH	{{#property:P1694}}
TE	{{#property:P1693}}
FMA	{{#property:P1402}}
Anatomical terminology [[[d:|edit on Wikidata]]]

Elastic cartilage or yellow cartilage is a type of cartilage present in the outer ear, Eustachian tube and epiglottis. It contains elastic fiber networks and collagen fibers. The principal protein is elastin.

Structure

Elastic cartilage is histologically similar to hyaline cartilage but contains many yellow elastic fibers lying in a solid matrix. These fibers form bundles that appear dark under a microscope. These fibers give elastic cartilage great flexibility so that it is able to withstand repeated bending. The chondrocytes lie between the fibres. It is found in the epiglottis (part of the larynx) and the pinnae (the external ear flaps of many mammals including humans). Elastin fibers stain dark purple/black with Verhoeff's stain.

Function

• Provide support
• Maintain shape

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

External links

• Histology image: 12_02 at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center - "epiglottis"
• Histology image: 02901loa – Histology Learning System at Boston University
• Histology at ucsd.edu
• Anatomy Atlases - Microscopic Anatomy, plate 03.42