To understand cartilage easily,,,

By / 30th December, 2015 / Joint Health / No Comments

Think it as a building!!!

Chondrocytes are the workers that produce bricks and mortar, and put them together.

Collagen is the brick that forms the concrete structure of the cartilage.

Proteoglycan is the mortar between the bricks (collagen) within the cartilage, and the main component of the mortar is chondroitin sulphate.

The shock-absorbing function of cartilage comes mainly from chondroitin sulphate. It has negative charges which repel each other and create a sponge-like protection to the joint. Chondroitin sulphate is made by converting carbohydrates to glucosamine, which is converted further to chondroitin.

After age 40, the ability to make glucosamine decreases dramatically (Dudhia J, 2005). It is the major contributing factor to the development of osteoarthritis. This results in cartilage erosion, narrowed joint space, inflammation, stiffness and deformity. When taken orally as a supplement, chondroitin sulfate acts as an anti-arthritic agent by providing the connecting matrix between the protein filaments in cartilage.

Jonint12

(Click!!!)

 


Leave a Comment