Chondrocyte

The cartilage is the white covering of the ends of the long bones. Here the inset magnifies a tiny part of the cartilage covering the rounded end of the femur.

The cartilage cells lie within lacunae - holes in the matrix - and control the production of the matrix.

Chondrocytes are supported in a matrix

Cartilage is an unusual tissue. It consists primarily of a 'matrix' in which the cartilage cells or chondrocytes sit separated from one another in little holes (lacunae).