Overview. Cartilage is a type of connective tissue in the body that has a tough, flexible matrix made of collagen, protein, and sugar. Cartilage is found in the nose and ears, as well as joints, including the knees, hips, shoulders, and fingers.he idea is that taking shark or bovine cartilage, or a supplement called chondroitin, which is part of cartilage, will help your body repair or grow new cartilage in your joints. There is not any evidence that taking cartilage helps, but the story is a little more complicated when it comes to chondroitin.