Elastic Cartilage-Epiglottic Cartillage

In its interterritorial matrix, elastic cartilage contains nonmasked elastic  fiber networks 1 , which can be stained with the dye orcein, among others. At the nodal points, the fibers widen. In principle, the rest of the elastic cartilage structure is like that of hyaline cartilage. Like hyaline cartilage, it contains masked collagen fibers. The round or oval spaces contain the cartilage cells 2 , which are only slightly stained. At the left edge of the figure is the perichondrium 3 , with its fine elastic fibers parallel to the surface.  Elastic cartilage occurs in the auricular cartilage, the epiglottis, in the vocal processes of the arytenoid cartilage (processus vocalis cartilaginis arytaenoideae) and in the cartilage portion of the small bronchi.

1 Elastic fiber s 3 Perichondrium

2 Cartilage cells (chondrocytes)

Stain: hemalum-orcein; magnification: × 50

References

Kuehnel, W.(2003). Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy. 4^th edition . Institute of Anatomy Universitätzu Luebeck Luebeck, Germany . Thieme Stuttgart · New York .