ELASTIC CARTILAGE:
• The chondrocytes lie within chambers in the matrix called lacunae. Elastic cartilage is quite similar to hyaline cartilage but its matrix contains many elastic fibers.
• Elastic cartilage provides strength and elasticity: it allows flexibility while maintaining the shape of the structure.
• It is found in the epiglottis of the larynx, the external ear and the (Eustachian) auditory tubes.