Ch. 3 - Connective Tissue Flashcards
Connective Tissue general traits
- most abundant
- binds structures: structural framework of body (connects tendons/joints and such)
- supports skeletal system
- stores fat
- produces blood (bone marrow) *connective tissue
- repairs damage (repair themselves)
- a lot of matrix (space) between cells
- good blood supply (blood vessels)
Major Connective Tissue cell types
RESIDENT CELLS (stay put): fibroblasts, histiocytes, adipocytes, mesenchymal, melanocytes WANDERING CELLS (not permanent residents): mast cells, leukocytes
fibroblasts
- most common
- (fiber building)
- secrete protein into matrix to produce fibers
histiocytes
-type of macrophage (defend tissue)
(white blood cell) *ingest and kill bacteria but cell stays put in one area of the body
adipocytes
fat cells (lipid droplet that occupies most of cell and pushes nucleus and other organelles to one side)
mesenchymal cells
can become any other connective tissue cell (help/repair/reproduce)
*stem cells
melanocytes
produce melanin
mast cells
secrete histamine (inflammatory response)
leukocytes
white blood cells that move throughout the body
Connective Tissue fibers (list)
collagenous fibers (dense CT, loose CT), elastic fibers, reticular fibers
collagenous fibers
tendons/ligaments (white fibers)
- most abundant
- thick and thread like (DO NOT BRANCH)
- flexible but not elastic (bend but don’t stretch) *tensile strength
- parallel bundle alignment of collagen fibers allows them to withstand tremendous forces
tendons
consist almost entirely of collagen fibers
-connect skeletal muscles to bones
ligaments
connect bone to bone
elastic fibers
- thin fibers (microfibrils embedded in elastin)
- BRANCHED
- very elastic (stretch don’t bend) *not very much strength
- found in airways subject to stretching (airways/vocal cords)
reticular fibers
- thin but made of collagen (thinner than collagen fibers)
- HIGHLY BRANCHED
- form supportive network in tissues that can stabilize the relative positions of an organ’s cells, blood vessels, and nerves despite changing positions and the pull of gravity
- resist pull in many directions (surrounds and protects many organs)
Types of Connective Tissue (list)
Areolar) CT, Adipose Tissue, Reticular CT, Dense CT (dense regular/irregular/elastic)
Areolar CT (loose CT)
- acts as packing material wherever there is open space or gaps (areolar=air/space)
- a lot of space(matrix) between fibers/mast cells
- made of fibroblasts that are separated by gel-like matrix
- contains many blood vessels (source of nutrients for epithelial)
function: cushions organs, provides support but permits independent movement, phagocytic cells defend against pathogens
location: deep to the dermis of the skin. covered by the epithelial lining of digestive, respiratory, and urinary tracts. between muscles and around joints
Adipose Tissue (loose CT)
FAT
- adipocytes within loose CT (starts out as loose/areolar tissue then fills with adipocytes)
- stores fat as droplets in cytoplasm
location: deep in the skin (hypodermis), between muscles, around kidneys, abdominal membrane, around heart *padding around eyes and breasts
function: cushion, insulate *cells have a hard time metabolizing adipose which is why it is hard to get rid of
Reticular CT (loose CT)
thin collagenous fibers that make up a 3-D webbing network (reticular fibers, fibroblasts, macrophages)
- supporting tissue in walls of organ
location: liver, kidney, spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow
function: provides supporting framework
Loose CT
more loose fibers and less fibers