Chondrocyte

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Chondrocyte
Light micrograph of undecalcified hyaline cartilage showing its chondrocytes and organelles, lacunae and matrix.
Details
Location	Cartilage
Function	Produce and maintain cartilage matrix
Identifiers
Latin	chondrocytus
MeSH	D019902
TH	H2.00.03.5.00003
FMA	66782
Anatomical terms of microanatomy [edit on Wikidata]

Chondrocytes (/ˈkɒndrəsaɪt, -droʊ-/,^[1] from Greek χόνδρος, chondros = cartilage + κύτος, kytos = cell) are the only cells found in healthy cartilage. They produce and maintain the cartilaginous matrix, which consists mainly of collagen and proteoglycans. Although the word chondroblast is commonly used to describe an immature chondrocyte, the term is imprecise, since the progenitor of chondrocytes (which are mesenchymal stem cells) can differentiate into various cell types, including osteoblasts.