U.C.L.A. Rheumatology Pathophysiology of Disease Course Lecture, Second Year Medical School 2005

      In summary, the joint is an organ which is constructed of several unique tissues, with each tissue having a specific function. The tissues of the diarthrodial joint include the synovial capsule, synovium, hyaline cartilage, calcified cartilage, the subchondral bone and the underlying cancellous bone, ligaments, and in some joints, menisci.
       As with all organs, the health and function of all tissues are interrelated. The major function of joints is to safely distribute skeletal forces, while allowing for skeletal movement in a near frictionless manner. The failure of one of these tissues can lead to failure of the organ as a whole.