Hello,
From various medical dictionaries, I've found the follwing definition.
A chondrocyte is really a form of chondroblast. A chondroblast is a
cell that secretes cartilage matrix (picture linked below). Once the
matrix is formed around the chondroblast, the cell and surrounding
matrix is referred to as a chondrocyte (picture linked below). As for
the importance of chondroblasts and chondrocytes, they are not only
specific to human animals. From an animal health website, the
following passage (full text linked below) explains the purpose of
chondroblasts and chondrocytes:
"The original fibers and matrix of cartilage are formed by cells
called chondroblasts. Each chondroblast becomes surrounded by the
fibers and matrix that it produces. When the cartilage formation is
complete, the chondroblast produces only enough matrix to maintain the
cartilage. These mature cells are then called chondrocytes."
So in short chondroblast and chondrocytes are responsible for the
building and maintanence of cartilage in the body. Thank you for
allowing me to help you with your question, and it was a pleasure to
find the information for you.
Search Strategy:
chondrocyte on dictionary.com:
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=chondrocyte
cartilage chondrocyte formation on google:
://www.google.com/search?q=cartilage+chondrocyte+formation
Additional Links:
Definition of chondroblast and chondrocyte:
http://www.medinfo.ufl.edu/year1/histo/glossary.html#chondroblast
Picture of chondroblast:
http://www.medinfo.ufl.edu/year1/histo/images/c21c.jpg
Picture of chondrocyte:
http://www.medinfo.ufl.edu/year1/histo/images/c22a.jpg
Passage on chondroblasts and chondrocytes in animals (read first
paragraph of "What is in Prosamine?" section:
http://www.championah.com/prosamine.html
Thank you for the opportunity to answer your question, if you require
more information, please clarify the question, or if you find this
answer satisfactory, please feel free to rate it. Thank you!
skermit-ga |
