Lipid Droplets-Hyaline Cartilage

Paraplasmic substances ( cell inclusions, stored materials) are either derived from metabolic activities (storage materials ) or from the enclosure of “dead”  substances (metabolic residue or phagocytosed materials ). Carbohydrates,  proteins, fat (mostly triglycerides), ferritin (iron storage particles) and pigments are among the most important paraplasmic inclusions.  This figure shows four isogenous cartilage cells (two chondrons or territories)  with fat droplets of different sizes. These fat droplets (stained red) are characteristic of mature chondrocytes. The cell nuclei are stained blue. There is a narrow border between the cartilage cells, which stands out because of its high refractive index. This is the cartilage cell capsule 1 , which is part of the territorial extracellular matrix.

1 Territorial extracellular matrix, cartilage cell capsule

2 Inter territorial extracellular matrix

Stain: Sudan red-hemalum; magnification: × 500

Chondrocytes with stored cytoplasmic fat droplets 1 . The finely granulated cytoplasm also contains small oval mitochondria, glycogen particles 2 and filament tufts 3 . A cartilage capsule 4 encloses the territorial extracellular matrix.  Hyaline cartilage from tracheal cartilage (cartilago trachealis).

1 Fat droplet

2 Glycogen granules

3 Filaments

4 Cartilage cell capsule

5 Chondrocyte nuclei

6 Extracellular inter territorial matrix

References

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