Chondropathy refers to a disease of the

cartilage Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints as articular cartilage, and is a structural component of many body parts including the rib cage, the neck an ...

. It is frequently divided into 5 grades, with 0-2 defined as normal and 3-4 defined as diseased. __TOC__

Some common diseases affecting/involving the cartilage

Achondroplasia Achondroplasia is a genetic disorder with an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance whose primary feature is dwarfism. In those with the condition, the arms and legs are short, while the torso is typically of normal length. Those affected ha ...

: Reduced proliferation of

chondrocytes Chondrocytes (, from Greek χόνδρος, ''chondros'' = cartilage + κύτος, ''kytos'' = cell) are the only cells found in healthy cartilage. They produce and maintain the cartilaginous matrix, which consists mainly of collagen and proteog ...

in the

epiphyseal plate The epiphyseal plate (or epiphysial plate, physis, or growth plate) is a hyaline cartilage plate in the metaphysis at each end of a long bone. It is the part of a long bone where new bone growth takes place; that is, the whole bone is alive, wi ...

of long bones during infancy and childhood, resulting in dwarfism. *

Cartilage tumors Cartilage tumors, also known as chondrogenic tumors, are a type of bone tumor that develop in cartilage, and are divided into non-cancerous, cancerous Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with t ...

Costochondritis Costochondritis, also known as chest wall pain syndrome or costosternal syndrome, is a benign inflammation of the upper costochondral (rib to cartilage) and sternocostal (cartilage to sternum) joints. 90% of patients are affected in multiple ri ...

: Inflammation of cartilage in the ribs, causing chest pain. *

Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone which affects 1 in 7 adults in the United States. It is believed to be the fourth leading cause of disability in the w ...

: The cartilage covering bones (

articular cartilage Hyaline cartilage is the glass-like (hyaline) and translucent cartilage found on many joint surfaces. It is also most commonly found in the ribs, nose, larynx, and trachea. Hyaline cartilage is pearl-gray in color, with a firm consistency and h ...

) is thinned, eventually completely worn out, resulting in a "bone against bone" joint, resulting in pain and reduced mobility. Osteoarthritis is very common, affects the joints exposed to high stress and is therefore considered the result of "wear and tear" rather than a true disease. It is treated by

Arthroplasty Arthroplasty (literally " e-orming of joint") is an orthopedic surgical procedure where the articular surface of a musculoskeletal joint is replaced, remodeled, or realigned by osteotomy or some other procedure. It is an elective procedure that i ...

, the replacement of the joint by a synthetic joint made of titanium and teflon.

Chondroitin sulfate Chondroitin sulfate is a sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) composed of a chain of alternating sugars ( N-acetylgalactosamine and glucuronic acid). It is usually found attached to proteins as part of a proteoglycan. A chondroitin chain can have ove ...

, a monomer of the

polysaccharide Polysaccharides (), or polycarbohydrates, are the most abundant carbohydrates found in food. They are long chain polymeric carbohydrates composed of monosaccharide units bound together by glycosidic linkages. This carbohydrate can react with wa ...

portion of

proteoglycan Proteoglycans are proteins that are heavily glycosylated. The basic proteoglycan unit consists of a "core protein" with one or more covalently attached glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chain(s). The point of attachment is a serine (Ser) residue to whic ...

, has been shown to reduce the symptoms of

osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone which affects 1 in 7 adults in the United States. It is believed to be the fourth leading cause of disability in the w ...

, possibly by increasing the

synthesis Synthesis or synthesize may refer to: Science Chemistry and biochemistry *Chemical synthesis, the execution of chemical reactions to form a more complex molecule from chemical precursors ** Organic synthesis, the chemical synthesis of organ ...

of the extracellular matrix. *

Spinal disc herniation Spinal disc herniation is an injury to the cushioning and connective tissue between vertebrae, usually caused by excessive strain or trauma to the spine. It may result in back pain, pain or sensation in different parts of the body, and physical ...

: Asymmetrical compression of an intervertebral disc ruptures the sac-like disc, causing a herniation of its soft content. The hernia compresses the adjacent nerves and causes back pain. *

Relapsing polychondritis Relapsing polychondritis is a multi-systemic condition characterized by repeated episodes of inflammation and deterioration of cartilage. The often painful disease can cause joint deformity and be life-threatening if the respiratory tract, heart v ...

: a destruction, probably autoimmune, of cartilage, especially of the nose and ears, causing disfiguration. Death occurs by suffocation as the larynx loses its rigidity and collapses.

Repairing articular cartilage damage

Though articular cartilage damage is not life-threatening, it does strongly affect the quality of life. Articular cartilage damage is often the cause of severe pain, swellings, strong barriers to mobility and severe restrictions to the patient's activities. Over the last decades, however, surgeons and biotech ventures have elaborated promising procedures that contribute to

articular cartilage repair Articular cartilage repair treatment is focused on the restoration of the surface of an articular joint's hyaline cartilage. Over the last few decades, surgeons and researchers have made progress in elaborating surgical cartilage repair intervent ...

. However, these procedures do not treat

References

External links

American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine

Chondral Defects (The Steadman-Hawkins Clinic) {{Osteochondropathy Chondropathies,