Anicular cartilage, winch makes possible lhe painless, low-friction movement of synovial
joints, consists of a sparsely distributed population of highly specialized cells called
chondrocytes that are embedded within a matrix and provide articular cartilage with
remarkable mechanical properties. Chondrocytes form the tissue matrix
niacroniolecularjrameworkjrom three classes of molecules: collagens, proteoglycans, and
noncollagenous proteins. The matrix protects the cells from injury resulting from normal joint …