Cartilaginous Joints
Define cartilaginous joints:
Cartilaginous joints are connections between bones that are held tightly together by cartilage - specifically either hyaline cartilage or fibrocartilage.
The definition of a cartilaginous joint is clearer with information about how cartilaginous joints compare with the other types of joints.
Cartilaginous joints is 1 of the 3 structural classes of joints:
- Fibrous joints - held together by fibrous connective tissue.
- Cartilaginous joints - held together by cartilage tissue.
- Synovial joints - include a synovial cavity surrounded by a fibrous capsule.
Types and classes of joints in general are described on the page about types of joints.
Types of cartilaginous joints
There are two types of cartilaginous joints in the human body :
- Synchondroses (plural, the singular word is "a synchondrosis")
- Symphyses (plural, the singular word is "a symphysis")
|
---|
Summary of the difference between hyaline cartilage and fibrocartilage
|
---|
Examples of cartilaginous joints
Examples of synchondroses:
- Sternocostal joint - between the first rib and the sternum
- Epiphyseal growth plates in children, i.e. while the bones are still growing. Examples include:
- between the epiphyses and diaphyses of long bones, e.g. humerus (upper-arm), femur (upper-leg) and others
- between the occipital bone and the sphenoid bone of the cranium (skull bones)
- between certain parts of the temporal bone and the occipital bone of the cranium (skull bones)
Examples of symphyses:
- The sternum bone:
- between the body of the sternum (also called the gladiolus) and the manubrium (upper part of) the sternum bone
- between the body of the sternum (also called the gladiolus) and the xiphoid process (lower part of) the sternum bone
- Sacrococcygeal joint - between the sacrum and the coccyx
- Pubic symphysis - between the superior rami of the left and right pubic bones.
This is the end of this page about cartilaginous joints.
See also types of joints, fibrous joints and synovial joints.