Anomalous NMR relaxation in cartilage matrix components and native cartilage: Fractional-order models

► We present a fractional-order form of the Bloch equations for anomalous relaxation. ► The solutions are Mittag-Leffler functions that generalize (T1 and T2) relaxation. ► We conducted NMR studies of cartilage biopolymers and bovine nasal cartilage (BNC). ► We described the T2 relaxation of BNC by a single fractional-order parameter. ► No anomalous behavior of T1 was observed in BNC.