Which statement about articular cartilage is true?

Which statement about articular cartilage is true?

• A. It is smooth, avascular hyaline cartilage covering joint surfaces.
• B. It is rough and highly vascularized.
• C. It lines the joint capsule.
• D. It forms the joint cavity.

Answer: (A)

Articular cartilage is smooth, avascular hyaline cartilage that covers the ends of bones where they form a synovial joint. This combination creates a low-friction, load-distributing surface important for joint movement. Because it has no blood vessels, it relies on diffusion from the surrounding synovial fluid for nutrients, which also explains why healing after injury is slow. It covers the articular surfaces on the bones, not the joint capsule itself, and it does not form the joint cavity—the cavity is the space within the capsule that contains synovial fluid.

Articular cartilage is smooth, avascular hyaline cartilage that covers the ends of bones where they form a synovial joint. This combination creates a low-friction, load-distributing surface important for joint movement. Because it has no blood vessels, it relies on diffusion from the surrounding synovial fluid for nutrients, which also explains why healing after injury is slow. It covers the articular surfaces on the bones, not the joint capsule itself, and it does not form the joint cavity—the cavity is the space within the capsule that contains synovial fluid.