Mammalian Hyaline Cartilage

Cartilage is a tough, but elastic, connective tissue that chiefly comprises the skeletal structures of embryonic and young vertebrates. Sometimes referred to as gristle, the material, which is essentially comprised of a network of collagen fibers embedded in a gelatinous matrix and surrounded by a fibrous membrane called the perichondrium, is usually replaced by the bony skeleton as development proceeds.