Final answer:
Cartilage serves many roles including reducing friction as articular cartilage, shock absorption during physical activities, and regulating water balance within joints. Different types of cartilage, like elastic and fibrocartilage, offer flexibility or strength respectively, contributing to overall joint health.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cartilage plays several important roles in the body beyond being a barrier to pain. It serves as a form of specialized, dense connective tissue that provides a smooth surface for the movement of bones at joints. One of its key functions is to reduce friction as an articular cartilage, a thin layer that covers the ends of bones in movable joints such as the knee and shoulder. This layer is essential for ensuring joints move smoothly without the bones grinding against one another.
Shock absorption is another vital function of cartilage. During activities such as walking, running, or jumping, cartilage acts as a cushion, absorbing the impact that would otherwise be transferred to bones and joints. This characteristic is largely due to the presence of proteoglycans, like hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate, which contribute to the compressibility and resilience of cartilage. Furthermore, cartilage aids in the regulation of water balance in the joint, ensuring that the articular cartilage remains hydrated for smooth movement and reduced friction. Damage to the cartilage, such as from wear and aging, or through trauma, can lead to conditions like osteoarthritis, which is characterized by pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Therefore, protecting the cartilage is essential to maintaining joint health and functionality. Different types of cartilage, such as elastic cartilage and fibrocartilage, serve specific functions based on their composition and location in the body. Elastic cartilage, with its abundance of elastic fibers, provides flexibility in structures like the ear, while fibrocartilage offers strength in areas such as intervertebral discs due to its high collagen fiber content.