The chondrocytes are more tightly packed together than is the case in hyaline cartilage, and in most histological preparations elastic cartilage tends to be more heavily stained, because of the decreased proportion of matrix material. Slide 75 is a section through the external ear of a rabbit. Note the closely packed chondrocytes. The last form of cartilage is fibrocartilage . You will find it on slide 10, which is a section from an intervertebral disk.
Fibrocartilage has only very limited distribution in the body.
In addition to the intervertebral disks, it's found in the pubic symphysis, and a few other locations. To see examples of fibrocartilage, click here. In fibrocartilage the matrix component is minimal, and the fibrous one greatly predominates. The chondrocytes are less numerous and much more widely separated than in other types, but most of them are still enclosed in lacunae. There will be some lacunae which are incomplete.