The data on bone and cartilage enzymology available in the literature
and gained by our own experiments were reviewed and discussed in respect to their
metabolic significance in bone and cartilage cell metabolism. Enzyme distribution
patterns of main metabolic pathway enzymes reflect the metabolic features of these
tissues suggesting a predominant anaerobic energy and intermediary metabolism.
Enzyme activities of matrix components synthesizing enzymes as well as degrading
enzymes are responsible for the maintainance of the biological steady state of the
macromolecular matrix components which enables bone and cartilage tissue to
perform their specific biological functions.