Connective Tissue

Question 1

Connective Tissue

Answer 1

Connective tissue binds other structures together such as bone, muscle and joints. Cartilage, ligaments and tendons are examples of different types of connective tissue.

Question 2

Myofascia

Answer 2

• Is a sheet or band of fibrous connective tissue (i.e. it looks like cellophane) that is deep under the skin and surrounds muscles and other organs of the body
• It holds muscles with similar functions together (e.g. hamstrings)
• It allows free movement of muscles to glide over one another
• It contains nerves, blood and lymph vessels and fills spaces between muscles
• It insulates the muscle fibres from one another’s electrical activity (impulses)

Question 3

3 Types of Muscle Tissue

Answer 3

1. Skeletal Muscle Fibre - primarily attached to the bones and responsible for moving the skeleton. It is striated and voluntary.
2. Cardiac Muscle Fibre (Muscles of the Heart) - It is striated and involuntary and is called the myocardium.
3. Smooth Muscle Fibre (Internal Organs) - It is non-striated, involuntary

Question 4

Tendons

Answer 4

Tendons attach muscle to bone and are continuations of the fascia layers (epimysium, etc.). The separated layers of deep fascia continue beyond the muscle belly and unify to produce a strong tendon

Question 5

Bursae

Answer 5

Another form of synovial padding is a bursa (bur sa); it is like a pillow protecting bony areas such as the kneecap, elbow, hip and shoulder (singular is “bursa” and pleural is “bursae” (bur say).

Question 6

Muscle Fascia (3 layers)

Answer 6

Muscle has three different layers of clear cellophane-like fascia. Each layer is responsible for holding the muscle belly together at different levels

epimysium (eh pee me zee um), surrounds the entire muscle belly

perimysium (pear ree me zee um), surrounds the fasciculi (bundles of muscle fibres)

endomysium (endoh me zee um) surrounds each individual muscle fibers

Question 7

6 Key Functions of Muscle

Answer 7

Muscle performs six key functions:

1. Body movement
2. Stabilize body posture
3. Regulate organ volume
4. Move substances within the body
5. Generate heat
6. Protect Organs

Question 8

Electrical Excitability (properties of muscle tissue)

Answer 8

the ability of muscle to respond to certain stimuli such as electrical signals

Question 9

Contractility (properties of muscle tissue)

Answer 9

the ability of muscle to develop tension and produce force. A contraction may be either:

Isometric Contraction
Concentric Contraction
Eccentric Contraction

Question 10

Extensibility / Plasticity (properties of muscle tissue)

Answer 10

the ability of muscle to be extended (stretched) without damaging the tissue.

Question 11

Elasticity (properties of muscle tissue)

Answer 11

the ability of muscle to return to its original shape after a contraction or stretch.

Question 12

Hyperplasia

Answer 12

is the splitting of a muscle cell (fibre)

Question 13

Hypertrophy

Answer 13

is the increase in the size (diameter) of a muscle fibre (more myosin and actin)

Question 14

Muscular atrophy

Answer 14

is a wasting away of muscles