Connective Tissue Flashcards
Types of Connective Tissue
Connective Tissue Proper
Cartilage
Bone
Blood
Bone Marrow
Components of Connective Tissues
Cells
Fibers
Ground Substance
Matrix
Fibers + Ground Substance
Ground Substance (characteristics)
GAG (glycosaminoglyans)
Hydrated semisolid gel
Fills space + has proteins!
High viscosity (slow foreign particles)
Glycosaminoglycans (GAG)
Repeating disaccharides (sugars) that are key component in connective tissue ground substance
Proteoglycans (+types)
Proteins sulfated w/ glycosaminoglycans
-Hyaluronic Acid
-Chondroitin-4-sulfate & Chondroitin-6-sulfate
-Dermatan sulfate
-Keratan sulfate
-Heparan sulfate
Hyaluronic Acid
Most abundant GAG
Function: lubrication
Location: umbilical cord | synovial fluid | vitreous humor | cartilage
Chondroitin-4-sulfate & 6-sulfate (location)
Cartilage | bone | skin
Dermatan sulfate (location)
Skin | tendons | sclera | lungs
Keratan sulfate (location)
Cartilage | bone | cornea
Heparan sulfate (location)
Aorta | liver | lung | basal lamina
Cell Types in Connective Tissue Proper
Fixed Cells (FRAPMF)
no change in site
Wandering Cells (FPMEL)
change site, attracted where needed
Mesenchymal Cells
Structure: Processes | No fibers | Large, oval nuclei | irregular shape | few organelles
Function: give rise to other cell types
Fibroblasts / Fibrocytes
More specialized than mesenchymal
Most common cell in Loose CT
Function: wound repair | blast=create matrix
Reticular Cells
Structure: create “network” (spiderweb)
Function: secrete reticular fibers
Adipocyte
Function: Lipid-storing cell
Location: All Loose CT | predominant in adipose tissue
Pericytes
Structure: Change to smooth muscle or adipocytes (based on need)
Function: Endothelial cell support
Fixed Macrophages
Migrate, then stational (Blood–>CT)
Liver –> Kupfer cell
Nervous –> Microglia
Lung –> Alveolar Macrophages
Free Macrophages
“Wandering” cells
Structure: large | round | “foamy” cytoplasm | basophilic
Function: phagocytosis | repair (accumulate @ injury, ingest debris)
Plasma Cells
Structure: oval | basophilic
Function: secrete antibodies
Location: lymph nodes | GI | respiratory | female repro
Mast Cells
Structure: filled w/ granules (histamine | heparin | ECF-A release)
Function: secrete vasoactive compound | inflammatory/allergy response
Location: Loose CT of skin/intestine | around vessels
Eosinophils
Type of WBC
Function: immune reaction | phagocytosis of antigen-antibody complex | kill parasites by granule release
Lymphocytes
Type of WBC
Function: create antibody-producing cells