Connective Tissue

Question 1

Connective Tissue

Definition, traits, types

Answer 1

Tissue with blood vessels that hold other tissues together.
They have lots of extracellular material (ECM) (non-cellular material) between cells and don’t touch.
The blood vessels transport nutrients, waste and O2 for cells in the connective tissue + other nearby tissues
White blood cells around found in blood to fight pathogens.

Question 2

Extracellular Matrix
(ECM)

Answer 2

Proteins and polysarccarides that provide structure to tissues and organs, give organs their shapes, determine the properties of tissue, and connects cells in the connective tissue and other types of cells.

Question 3

Components of ECM

Answer 3

• Protein Fibers
• Collagen
• Ground substance
• Intersticial fluid

Question 4

Protein Fibers

Answer 4

Long strings of proteins making a long chain to provide structural support to cells. They branch and interconnect to form large networks.

Question 5

Collagen

Answer 5

The most common protein in ECM and in the body with strong fibers and resist stretching.

Question 6

Reticular fibers

Answer 6

A type of collagen that creates a mesh-like network that gives many organs their shape. They’re found at the borders between connective tissues.

Question 7

Elastin

Answer 7

A type of protein fiber that stretches, making tissue elastic.

Question 8

Ground Substance

Answer 8

A gel like substance that’s composed of everything in the extracellular matrix except the fibers.
The substance holds fibers, polysaccharides, and water.

Question 9

Proteoglycans

Answer 9

Proteins with big polysaccharides attached that make up most of ground substance.
The more proteoglycans, the more gel like the ground substance.

Question 10

Interstitial fluid

Answer 10

The fluid cells sit in that’s composed of water with ions, gasses (diffused through blood), and organic molecules (mostly waste) moving through the extracellular matrix.

Question 11

Connective tissue cells

Answer 11

1. Fibroblasts
2. Fibrocyte

Question 12

Fibroblasts

Answer 12

Connective tissue cells that produce fibers and ground substance. Different types produce different fibers to produce an ECM with different properties.

Question 13

Fibrocyte

Answer 13

Mature fibroblasts that no longer make new ECM, they help maintain the ECM of connective tissue.

Question 14

Connective tissue types

Answer 14

Areolar Connective Tissue: Irregular + Loose
Dense Regular Connective Tissue: Tendons, Ligaments, + Aponeurosis
Dense Irregular Connective Tissue
Adipose Tissue: White adipose tissue (WAT) + Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT)
Bone
Collagen: Hyaline, Elastic, Fibrocartilage
Blood: Blood plasma, red + white blood cells

Question 15

Areolar Connective Tissue

Answer 15

Classified by its loose irregular fibers connective tissue.
Can be found under almost all epithelia in the body holding other tissues in place.
Loose refers to there being lots of interstitial fluid - allowing for substances to diffuse easily and its very gelatinous gel substance.

Question 16

Dense Regular
Connective Tissue

Answer 16

Dense = Fibers tightly packed
Regular = All fibers going the same direction
Composed of collagen fibers - allowing it to stretch a little bit because of the fibers directional uniformity

ex: Tendons, Ligaments, Aponeurosis

Question 17

Tendons

Answer 17

Collagen strings attaching bones to muscles.

Question 18

Ligaments

Answer 18

Collagen strings that attach bone to bone.

Question 19

Aponeurosis

Answer 19

Collagen fibers organized into a flat sheet-like tendon or ligament.

Question 20

Dense Irregular
Connective Tissue

Answer 20

Dense = Fibers tightly packed
Irregular = Fibers going the different directions
Dense collagen fibers that have little to no stretch.

ex: Under skin, In joint capsules, Fibrous sheaths around organs (Kidneys, bones, mucles, nerves)

Question 21

Adipose Tissue

Answer 21

Adopocytes grouped together under skin and around organs.

Question 22

White Adipose Tissue
(WAT)

Answer 22

The most common type of adipose tissue that’s responsible for storing fat for energy, cushioning, and insulation.
This tissue is controlled by the nervous system releasing hormones.

Question 23

Brown Adipose Tissue
(BAT)

Answer 23

Adipose tissue that is primarily used to generate heat by running metabolism.

Question 24

Blood

Answer 24

Connective tissue pumped by the heart to be circulated through the body via blood vessels (acting like a highway) to transport cells and nutrients.

Question 25

Components of blood

Answer 25

• Blood plasma = fluid of blood
• Red blood cells
• White blood cells