Histology Testbank: Cartilage 1a

Instructions: For each histology question, pick the one best answer. This histology test bank is also useful for the histology questions on the USMLE (USMLE step 1).

1.
What type of basic tissue type is cartilage?
a. Muscle
b. Nervous
c. Cartilage
d. Epithelium
e. Connective tissue

Answer: e

Of the four basic tissue types (epithelium, connective tissue, muscle and nervous tissue), connective tissue is the most diverse. Cartilage is a type of connective tissue.

2.
How many types of cartilage are there?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4
e. 5

Answer: c

There are three types of cartilage: hyaline cartilage, elastic cartilage and fibrocartilage.

3.
What do you call the space where a chondrocyte sits in?
a. Space of Disse
b. Space of Mall
c. Vacuole
d. Lacuna
e. Howship's Lacuna

Answer: d

The space of Disse is in the liver. The space of Disse is also called the perisinusoidal space. It is the space between the liver sinusoids and the hepatocytes.

The space of Mall is also in the liver. The space of Mall is located at the portal canal and is the region between the connective tissue and the liver parenchymal cells. It is the site where lymph is formed within the liver.

A vacuole is a small clear space within an individual cell.

A lacuna is a small space or depression. The space that the chondrocyte rests in is a lacuna.

Howship's lacuna is seen in bone. Howship's lacuna is a space seen underneath an osteoclast.

4.
What stain would be best to demonstrate the elastic fibers in elastic cartilage?
a. Wright's stain
b. Hematoxylin and eosin stain
c. Sudan stain
d. Silver impregnation
e. Resorcin fuchsin and orcein

Answer: e

A peripheral blood smear would be best visualized with Wright's stain. Hematoxylin and eosin stain is the most commonly used tissue stain for routine histological examination. Lipids are best displayed with a sudan stain. Silver impregnation, such as with a reticular stain, can be used to visualize reticular fibers. Resorcin fuchsin and orcein would best show the elastic fibers in elastic cartilage.

5.
Which type of cartilage is found in the walls of the eustachian tube?
a. Hyaline cartilage
b. Elastic cartilage
c. Fibrocartilage
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

Answer: b

Elastic cartilage is found in the walls of the eustachian tube.

6.
Which type of cartilage forms the skeleton of the fetus?
a. Hyaline cartilage
b. Elastic cartilage
c. Fibrocartilage
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

Answer: a

Hyaline cartilage forms the skeleton of the fetus. The cartilage forms a template of the bones. Endochondral ossification will occur during the childhood, replacing the hyaline cartilage with bone.

7.
What type of tissue makes up the "Adam's apple"?
a. Hyaline cartilage
b. Fibrocartilage
c. Elastic cartilage
d. Both a and b
e. Both a and c

Answer: a

The "Adam's apple" is a nickname for part of the larynx formed by the thyroid cartilage. The thyroid cartilage is composed of hyaline cartilage.

8.
Which type of cartilage forms the intervertebral disc?
a. Hyaline cartilage
b. Elastic cartilage
c. Fibrocartilage
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

Answer: c

Fibrocartilage forms the intervertebral disc.

9.
Which type of cartilage forms the hammer, anvil and stirrup?
a. Hyaline cartilage
b. Elastic cartilage
c. Fibrocartilage
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

Answer: e

The hammer, anvil and stirrup are the bones in the middle ear. They are made of bone, not cartilage.

10.
Which type of cartilage is characterized by the presence of elastic fibers?
a. Hyaline cartilage
b. Elastic cartilage
c. Fibrocartilage
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

Answer: b

Hyaline cartilage is characterized by a glassy matrix.

Elastic cartilage has elastic fibers in the matrix.

Fibrocartilage has thick bundles of collagen fibers in the matrix.

All three types of cartilage are composed of chondrocytes residing in lacunae and a hydrous extracellular matrix. All three types of cartilage are avascular.

11.
Which type of cartilage is highly vascular?
a. Hyaline cartilage
b. Elastic cartilage
c. Fibrocartilage
d. All of the above
e. None of the above

Answer: e

Hyaline cartilage is characterized by a glassy matrix.

Elastic cartilage has elastic fibers in the matrix.

Fibrocartilage has thick bundles of collagen fibers in the matrix.

All three types of cartilage are composed of chondrocytes residing in lacunae and a hydrous extracellular matrix. All three types of cartilage are avascular.