Connective tissue Flashcards
Connective tissues are ……………. In origin
Mesodermal
Characteristics of connective tissues include;
- Usually have a good blood supply
- They compose of non-living extracellular matrix surrounding living cells
- Have good tensile strength; ability to stretch and recoil.
………….. cells appear temporarily in response to injury or infection
Wandering cells
Major functions of CT include;
- Binding and support
- Protection
- Insulation
- Transport of substances
Connective tissues are composed of;
- Fixed, and wandering cells
- Extracellular matrix; protein fibers, ground substances
Fibroblasts are derived from …………?
undifferentiated mesenchymal cells.
…………. synthesise the protein fibre and components of the ground substance?
Fibroblast
What are the three types of protein present in the extracellular matrix of the CT
Collagen fiber
Elastic fiber
Reticular fiber
What’s the distribution of collagen fibres?
Found in the skin, tendon, ligaments, bone, and cartilage
The subunit of the collagen fiber is a protein known as ……………….?
tropocollagen.
What is the composition of tropocollagen?
3 alpha chains intertwined about each other.
Collagen fibres stain …………?
Pink
What’s the distribution of reticular fibres?
liver, kidneys, lymph nodes, spleen, thymus and bone marrow
Define ground substance
Amorphous gelatinous material that house the protein fiber in the EM
They serve as a medium through which nutrients and other substances can diffuse between blood vessels and the cells.
What are ground substance composed of?
Composed of water and large organic molecules, such as GAGs,proteoglycans, and glycoproteins
What are GAGs?
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are polysaccharides that trap water, giving the ground substances a gel-like texture
Outline the features of the components of ground substance
Glycosaminoglycans (GAG)
- linear (unbranched) polysaccharides, e.g. heparan sulfate, condroitin sulfate, keratan sulfate, hyaluronic acid
- very hydrophilic due to abundant negative charges (e.g. SO4- groups).
- except for hyaluronic acid, are usually bound covalently to protein core as part of a proteoglycan
Proteoglycans
- core protein + GAG side chains (like a bottle brush)
- bind cells, other proteins, and/or ECM components
Multiadhesive glycoproteins
- small glycosylated proteins containing NUMEROUS binding sites to cells, signaling molecules, and other ECM components
- examples include fibronectin and laminin: important for adhesion of epithelial cells to the basal lamina via transmembrane integrin receptors.
Name the supporting tissues
Bone, and cartilages
Classify ‘connective tissue proper’
General connective tissues
- loose CT
- Dense CT
Specialized connective tissue
- Elastic
- Reticular
- Adipose tissue
- Embryonic tissue
- Mesenchyme
- mucous
Where are loose areolar CT found?
- Respiratory and urinary tracts
- beneath dermis of skin
- Digestive tract
- between muscles
- around blood vessels
- Nerve
- around joints.
List the functions of loose areolar CT
- Cushions organs
- Provide support but permits independent movement
- Phagocytic cells provide defense against pathogens
A shot note on CT
Connective tissues are supportive, protective, binding and connecting tissues distributed everywhere in the body , there are made up of cells and extacellular matrix which developed from the embryonic mesenchymal cell of the mesoderm. They are very essential for life, forming an integral part of survival of the cell.
Apart from being disorders associated with CT, what do Granulomatosis with polyangiitis, Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and Churg-Strauss syndrome have in common?
They are characterised by the inflammation of blood vessels.
What causes Marfan syndrome?
Marfan syndrome is caused by a mutation in a gene called FBN1. The mutation limits the body’s ability to make proteins needed to build connective tissue.
A note on Polymyositis and dermatomyositis
Polymyositis and dermatomyositis are connective tissue disorders. These are types of myositis, which is the name for a group of conditions that cause weak, aching, and painful muscles. These diseases affect the body’s tendons, ligaments, and the collagen-based tissue that covers muscle ends.
What causes microscopic polyangiitis?
Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) is a rare condition that results from blood vessel inflammation.