Difference Between Bone and Cartilage:
Following are the points of difference between Bone and Cartilage-
| Bone | Cartilage |
|---|---|
| It is rigid, hard, strong and inelastic. | It is comparatively soft, elastic and flexible. |
| The matrix contains the protein ossein. | The matrix contains the protein chondrin. |
| Matrix is highly mineralised. The most common mineral is hydroxyapatite. | Mineralisation is absent except in calcified cartilage. |
| The ground substance of the matrix is impermeable. Diffusion occurs through lacunae and canaliculi which are interconnected. | Matrix is permeable to nutrients, waste products and gases. |
| Each lacuna has only one bone cell. | Each lacuna has 2-3 cartilage cells. |
| The matrix is arranged in the concentric lamella. | Matrix occurs in homogenous mass and lamella are absent. |
| The matrix has a network of blood vessels. | The matrix lacks blood vessels. |
| Bone cells are osteoblasts and osteocytes that give protoplasmic processes. They never exist in groups. | Cartilage cells are chondroblasts that do not have protoplasmic processes. They exist in groups of 2 or 4. |
| Haversian and Volkmann’s canals are present. | Haversian and Volkmann’s canals are absent. |
| Growth in thickness is through apposition only. | Growth in thickness is appositional and interstitial. |
| Appositional growth is bidirectional, both from outside and from inside. | Appositional growth is only from outside. |
| It bears a bone marrow cavity where blood cells are formed. | The bone marrow cavity is absent as it is always solid. |
| Bone is surrounded by a thick fibrous layer called the periosteum containing osteoblasts. | Cartilage is surrounded by a thick fibrous layer called perichondrium containing blood vessels and no chondroblasts. |
| It forms the endoskeleton of the body. | It is present in the delicate part of the body such as nose, trachea, pina etc. |
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