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How do appositional growth and interstitial growth differ in cartilage?
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connective tissue
Randomly oriented collagenous fibers of varying size in a thin spread of loose areolar connective tissue (magnified about 370 Γ).
In cartilage, growth occurs through two distinct processes that allow the tissue to expand in size and mass.1
- Appositional growth: This process involves the formation of new matrix and the incorporation of new cells from the inner chondrogenic layer of the perichondrium. Essentially, cartilage grows by adding new layers to its outer surface.1
- Interstitial growth: This process occurs from within the existing cartilage. Young chondrocytes located in lacunae within the matrix divide, and the resulting daughter cells secrete new matrix between them. As they produce this matrix, the cells move apart into separate lacunae, expanding the tissue from the inside.1
The combination of these two growth mechanisms makes cartilage a highly effective material for the developing skeleton of a rapidly growing embryo.1