Which joint is cartilaginous and permits some movement, such as between vertebrae?

• A. Suture
• B. Interosseous membrane
• C. Epiphyseal plate
• D. Intervertebral disc

Answer: (D)

Cartilaginous joints connect bones by cartilage and can allow some movement. Between vertebrae, this is a fibrocartilaginous disc that provides limited mobility and acts as a cushion. The intervertebral disc consists of an outer annulus fibrosus and a inner nucleus pulposus, which together permit bending and a bit of twisting while absorbing shock. This kind of joint is an amphiarthrosis, meaning it is moveable but not freely so.

Sutures are fibrous and essentially immovable. Interosseous membranes are fibrous connections with only limited motion. The epiphyseal plate is a growth plate—cartilaginous and allowing bone growth in children, but not functioning as a movable joint in adulthood.