Scientists say they've identified a new type of cartilage — one that was actually discovered in the 19th century, forgotten, rediscovered and then forgotten again.
Medical textbooks describe three types of cartilage: hyaline, elastic and fibrocartilage. Hyaline cartilage helps bones slide smoothly over each other at the joints; elastic cartilage is very flexible and found in the external ear, voice box, and tube between the ear and throat; and fibrocartilage is tough and absorbs impacts at the joints and in the spine. The cells within these tissues are surrounded by lots of collagen and elastic fibers, the proportions of which give each type of cartilage its distinct characteristics.
