Chapter 4: Connective Tissue Flashcards
What are the 4 main classes of connective tissue?
Connective tissue proper
Cartilage
Bone
Blood
What are the 3 main elements?
Fibers
Ground substance
Cells
What are the 3 types of fibers?
Collagen
Elastin
Reticular
Where do connective tissue arise from?
Mesenchyme
Is cartilage tissue vascular?
No
Is dense connective tissue vascular?
Poorly
What is ground substance?
The unstructured material that fills the space between the cells and contains the fibers
What is ground substance composed of?
Interstitial fluid
Cell adhesion proteins
proteoglycans
A fibrous protein. Secreted into the extracellular space where they assemble in cross-linked fibrils.
Collagen fibers
Long, thin, elastic fibers form branching networks in the extracellular matrix. A rubberlike protein that allows stretch and recoil
Elastic fibers
Short, fine, collegenous fibers. Surround small blood vessels and support soft titssue of organs. They form fuzzy “nets” and have more give than collagen fibers.
Reticular fiberes
Blast cells
Connective tissue proper: fibroblast
Cartilage: chondroblast
Bone: osteoblast
Bone blast cell
osteoblast
Cartilage blast cell
chondroblast
Connective tissue proper cell blast
fibroblast
Which cells maintain the health of the matrix?
Cyte cells
These cells secrete the ground substance and the fibers characteristic o their particular matrix
Blast cells
Connective tissue also house
Fat cells
White blood cells
Mast Cells
Macrophages
Store nutrients
Adipocytes (fat cells)
Concerned with tissue response to injury
White blood cells
Types of white blood cells
Neutrophils
Eosinophils
Lymphocytes
Typically cluster among blood vessels. Detect foreign microorganisms and initiate local inflammatory responses
Mast Cells
What chemicals mediate inflammation?
Heparin {anticoagulant)
Histamine (a substance that makes capillaries leak)
Proteases (protein degrading enzymes)
Other enzymes
Types of connective tissue
Connective tissue proper: loose and dense
Mesenchyme
A common embryonic tissue
Types of loose connective tissue
Areolar
Adipose
Reticular
Types of dense tissue
Dense regular
Dense irregular
Elastic
Supports and binds other tissue
Holds body fluids
Defends against infections
Stores nutrients as fat
Areolar connective tissue
Flat branching cells that appear spindle shaped (elongated) in profile
Fibroblasts
large, irregularly shaped cells that avidly devour a broad variety of foreign materials, ranging from foreign materials to entire bacteria to dust particles
Macrophages
Wraps and cushions organs; its macrophages phagocytize bacteria; plays important role in inflammation; holds and conveys tissue fluid
Contain all fiber types fibroblasts, macrophages, mast cells, and some white blood cells.
Loose connective tissue, Areolar
Provides reserve food fuel; insulates against heat loss; supports and protects organs
Closely packed adipocytes (fat cells), nucleus pushed to the side by fat droplet
Loose connective tissue, Adipose
Where is areolar tissue located?
Mucous membranes
Surrounds capillaries
Packages organs
Where is adipose tissue found?
Around kidneys and eyeballs
In breasts
Within abdomen
Fibers form a soft internal skeleton (stroma) that supports other cell types including white blood cells, mast cells, and macrophages.
Loose network of reticular fibers in a gel-like ground substance; reticular cells lie on the network.
Loose connective tissue, Reticular
Where is reticular tissue found?
Lymphoid organs (lymph nodes, bone marrow, and spleen)
Attaches muscles to bones, bones to bones, withstands great tensile stress
Contains closely packed bundles of collagen fibers running in the same direction of pull
Dense regular connective tissue
Withstands tension exerted in many directions; provides structural strength
Contains much thicker bundles of collagen fibers and are arranged irregularly
Dense irregular connective tissue
Where is dense regular tissue found in?
Tendonds, most ligaments, aponeuroses
Where is dense irregular tissue found in?
Capsules of organs and joints
The dermis of the skin
Allows tissue to recoil after stretching; maintains the flow of blood through arteries aids passive recoil of lungs following inspiration
Dense tissue containing high proportion of ____ fibers that allow stretching
Dense connective tissue; Elastic
Stands up to both tension and compression
Lacks nerve fibers and is avascular
Cartilage
Predominant cell type in growing cartilage
Chondroblasts
Most abundant type of cartilage. Contains a lot of collagen fibers and appears glassy
Hyaline cartilage
Where is hyaline cartilage found?
Covers the ends of long bones in joint cavities
Cartilage of the nose
Nearly identical to hyaline cartilage but containes more elastic fibers. Maintains the shape of the structure while allowing great flexibility.
Elastic cartilage
Where is elastic cartilage found?
External ear; epiglottis
Tensile strength allows it to absorb compressive shock
Similar to but less firm than hyaline cartilage
Fibrocartilage
Where can fibrocartilage be found?
Intervertebral discs
Disc of knee joints
Supports and protects, stores calcium and other minerals and fat
Hard, calcified matric containing collagen fibers. Very well vascularized
Bones (osseous tissue)
Trasports respiratory gases, nutrients, wastes
Red and while bloods cells in a fluid matric (plasma)
Connective tissue: blood
