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Connective Tissue Flashcards

1
Q

What organs is connective tissue found in?

What are the four types of connective tissue?

A

All organs

Bone

Cartilage

Blood

Connective tissue proper

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2
Q

What are the functions of connective tissue?

A

Connect other tissues and organs together (ex: ligaments and tendons)

Forms skeleton (bone and cartilage)

Carries and stores nutrients (blood, bone, adipose)

Supports blood vessels and nerves (loose areolar connective tissue)

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3
Q

What are the structural elements of connective tissue?

A
  • Relatively few cells in an abundant extracellular matrix
  • Cells are the living component of CT
  • Connective tissue’s properties are mostly due to its matrix
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4
Q

What is the extracellular matrix composed of?

A
  • Ground substance
  • Protein fibers
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5
Q

What is the ground substance of the extracellular matrix composed of?

A
  • Ground substance:
    • varies with tissue type
    • “Jelly-like”
      • CT proper & cartilage
    • “Fluid”
      • blood
    • “Mineralized”
      • bone
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6
Q

What is the role of protein fibers in the extracellular matrix?

A

Provides strength and flexibiity

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7
Q

What are the 3 types of protein fibers?

A
  1. Collagen
    • Strongest
    • Most abundant
  2. Elastic
    • ability to stretch and recoil
  3. Reticular
    • short
    • support network
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8
Q

What does connective tissue originate from?

A

Mesenchyme

(common embryonic tissue)

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9
Q

For a given connective tissue, the primary cell type produces the EC matrix (except ______)

A

blood

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10
Q

Define the word stem: -blast

A

Producing the EC matrix

A precursor cell

(osteoblast: “bone bulding”)

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11
Q

Define the word stem: -cyte

A

Maintains the EC matrix

(adipocyte: “fat maintaining”)

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12
Q

Define the word stem: -clast

A

Breaks down the EC Matrix

(chondroclast: “cartilage break down”)

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13
Q

What are the four main types of primary cells in connective tissue?

A
  1. Chondro-
  2. Fibro-
  3. Osteo-
  4. Adipo-
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14
Q

Define: chondro-

Where is it found?

A

It is the primary cell type in cartilage

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15
Q

Define: fibro-

Where is it found?

A

Primary cell type in CT proper

(ex: Fibroblasts produce EC matrix in CT proper)

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16
Q

Define: osteo-

where is it found?

A

The primary cell type in bone

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17
Q

Define: adipo-

Where is it found?

A

The primary cell type in adipose tissue (fat)

18
Q

Are there other types of cells in tissue besides the primary cell type?

A

Yes, for example, defense cells (macrophages “big eater” and white blood cells)

19
Q

What is the role of the blood cell? Does it make up the liquid aspect of the blood? Where are RBCs produced?

A
  • The RBC carries gases (oxygen and CO2 for example)
  • Involved in defense and clotting
  • Plasma, the liquid part of the blood, comes from the GI tract (how?)
  • Produced in bone marrow
21
Q

True or false?

A

False, dense connective tissue is a type of proper CT

22
Q

What are the subclasses of CT proper?

A

Loose CT

Dense CT

23
Q

What are the subclasses of cartilage?

A

Hyaline

Fibrocartilage

Elastic

24
Q

What are the subclasses of bone?

A

Compact

Spongy

25
What are the subclasses of **loose connective tissue**?
Areolar Adipose Reticular
26
# Define: **Areolar** What is it a subclass of? Where is it located? What are its functions?
Most abundant CT Subclass of **loose CT** Underlies most epithelia/surrounds nerve cells and blood vessels
27
What are the functions of **areolar**?
* Functions as ground substance and holds fluids (interstitial fluid aka tissue fluid) * Serves as packing material around organs * Involved in immunity and inflammation (often first line of defense against microorganisms - swelling)
28
# Define: **adipose** What is it a subclass of? What are some of its characteristics?
* Many adipocytes filled with lipids * Subclass of **loose CT** * Does not contain much EC matrix * Well vascularized * Allowing for access to lipids for energy
29
What are the functions of **adipose**?
* Protection of organs * Energy source * Located in: * **hypodermis** * **​**​visceral fat (unhealthy) * around highly active organs (kidneys, heart)
30
What are the two types of **adipose**?
1. White 2. Brown
31
Is most fat white or brown?
White
32
What is the difference between white fat and brown fat? Where does brown fat get its color from? Where is brown fat located?
* Most fat is **white** (turns yellow over time because of pigment carotene) - **stores** lipids as nutrients. * **Brown** adipose *consumes* nutrients to produce heat (lipids are used to produce heat rather than ATP) * warms bloodstream * gets brown color from mitochondria and abundant blood supply * located between shoulder blades, anterior of neck, and anterior abdominal wall
33
34
# Define: **Reticular** what is it a subclass of? Structure? Function? Location?
* Subclass of **loose CT** * only contains reticular fibers * Forms a 3D network filled with cells * Forms soft internal skeleton (stroma) * Located in lymphoid organs (spleen, bone marrow, lymph nodes)
35
What are the subcategories of **dense CT**?
Dense regular Dense irregular Elastic
36
# Define: **Dense Regular CT** What is it a subcategory of? Structure? Function? Location?
* *Collagen* fibers **run parallel** to each other * Subcategory of dense CT * Provides strength in **one direction** * Location: * Tendons * Ligaments * (tendons and ligaments have limited blood supply so are slow to heal)
37
# Define: **Dense Irregular CT** What is it a subcategory of? Structure? Function? Location?
* **Collagen fibers** run in many different directions to each other (not parallel) * Able to resist strong tensions from **different directions** (strong in all directions) * Locations: * Dermis * Joint capsules * Overlying capsules of spleen and kidneys
38
# Define: **Dense Elastic CT** What is it a subcategory of? Structure? Function? Location?
Elastic fibers dominate Subcategory of dense connective tissue Withstands stretch and has ability to recoil Located in areas such as **elastic arteries** (aorta)
39
# Define: **Cartilage** Structure? Function? Location?
* Firm, flexible tissue, found in many parts of the skeleton * Mostly water (allowing for cartilage to spring back after compression) * Made up of thin collagen fibers * Cartilage is made up of specialized cells called chondrocytes. These chondrocytes produce large amounts of extracellular matrix composed of collagen fibres, proteoglycan, and elastin fibers. * There are no blood vessels in cartilage to supply the chondrocytes with nutrients. * Instead, nutrients diffuse through a dense connective tissue surrounding the cartilage (called the perichondrium) and into the core of the cartilage. Due to the lack of blood vessels, cartilage grows and repairs more slowly than other tissues.
40
# Define: **Bone** Structure? Function? Location?
Made of calcium salts (mineralized) and collagen fibers (gives flexibility) Solid yet flexible Cells consist of osteocytes, osterblasts, osteoclasts
41
# Define: **Blood** Structure? Function? Location?
Considered a connective tissue because develops from **mesenchyme** and consists of blood cells surrounded by **nonliving matrix (plasma)**

Anatomy (9 decks)

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