Which type of collagen is found in hyaline cartilage?

• A. Type I
• B. Type II
• C. Type III
• D. Type IV

Answer: (C)

Hyaline cartilage is built primarily from type II collagen, which forms the main fibrillar network that holds the gel-like, proteoglycan-rich matrix together. This collagen framework provides the tensile strength and, along with proteoglycans like aggrecan bound to water, enables the tissue to resist compressive forces in joints. Other collagen types have different tissue distributions—type I is common in bone, skin, and tendon; type III is found in reticular fibers of soft tissues and during wound healing; type IV makes up basement membranes—so they are not the principal scaffolding of hyaline cartilage. There are also small amounts of other collagens that interact with type II to fine-tune fibril structure, but the dominant type in hyaline cartilage is type II.