Cartilage

body-structure · connective-tissue · joints · skeletal-system

Cushions your joints. Cartilage covers the ends of your bones where they meet, creating a smooth, slippery surface that lets them glide past each other without friction or pain.

Shapes your nose and ears. The structure of your nose, ears, and parts of your windpipe are made of cartilage, which is why you can bend them without breaking anything.

Stronger than muscle, softer than bone. Cartilage is much stiffer and stronger than muscle or tendon, but not as hard and rigid as bone, making it perfect for places that need both support and flexibility.

Made of special molecules. Cartilage is built from glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans, and collagen fibers that form a matrix, sometimes with elastin added for extra stretchiness.

Grows faster than bone. Cartilage grows quicker than bone, which is why your skeleton can change shape and size as you grow from a kid into an adult.