Connective Tissue Flashcards

1
Q

What are the functions of connective tissue (CT)?

A
  1. maintains cells/tissues/organs in their correct spatial arrangement when forces are applied
  2. provides support, binding protection + insulation
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2
Q

What are the 2 types of CT?

A
  1. loose

2. dense/fibrous

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3
Q

What are the 4 types of loose CT?

A
  1. areolar CT
  2. adipose tissue
  3. reticular tissue
  4. mucous tissue
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4
Q

What is the arrangement + function of areolar CT (LCT)?

A

ARRANGEMENT:
fibres loosely connected in a meshwork

FUNCTION:

  1. binds tissue parts
  2. maintains movement + flexibility
  3. structural support for organs/glands/vessels/nerves
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5
Q

What is the function of adipose tissue (LCT)?

A
  1. provides nutrients
  2. acts as an energy store
  3. protection
  4. insulation
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6
Q

Where can reticular tissue (LCT) be found?

A

bone marrow, spleen

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7
Q

Where can mucous tissue (LCT) be found?

A

dental pulp, umbilical cord

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8
Q

What are the 3 types of dense/fibrous CT?

A
  1. cartilage
  2. mineralised
  3. blood
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9
Q

Properties of dense CT:

  1. In tendons + ligaments
    (a) + closely packed (b) tissue.
    (c) fibre bundles running in the (d) direction.
    Has (e) cells than loose CT
  2. In the dermis (skin)
    (f) collagen fibre bundles

(a) regular/irregular?
(b)
(c)
(d) same/opposite?
(e) more/less?
(f ) regular/irregular?

A

(a) regular
(b) fibrous
(c) collagen
(d) same
(e) less
(f ) irregular

  1. In tendons + ligaments
    regular + closely packed fibrous tissue.
    Collagen fibre bundles running in the same direction.
    Has less cells than loose CT
  2. In the dermis (skin)
    Irregular collagen fibre bundles
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10
Q

Is cartilage (DCT) innervated?

A

No

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11
Q

Is cartilage (DCT) vascular or avascular?

A

Avascular

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12
Q

What is the function of cartilage (DCT)?

A

provides support

has some pliability/flexibility

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13
Q

What is the function of mineralised CT (DCT)?

A

provides support + protection

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14
Q

Where can calcified cartilage (DCT) be found?

A

cartilage
bone
dentine
cementum

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15
Q

What makes up CT?

A

cells + ECM

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16
Q

What are chondrocytes?

A

cartilage cells

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17
Q

What are osteoblasts?

A

bone forming cells

18
Q

What are osteocytes?

A

osteoblasts calcified in bone matrix

19
Q

What are odontoblasts?

A

dentine forming cells

20
Q

What are cementoblasts?

A

cementum froming cells

21
Q

Which other cells are found in CT?

A
macrophages
mast cells
melanocytes
adipose cells
mesenchymal cells
plasma cells
leukocytes
22
Q

What forms the ECM?

A
  1. protein fibres
    eg, collagen, elastin
  2. ground substance
23
Q

How are the protein fibres formed?

A
  1. protein molecules synthesised by fibroblasts
  2. fibroblasts secrete protein molecules into ground substance
  3. the molecule aggregate into fibres
  4. collagen fibres = mechanical strength
    elastin fibres = mechanical strength
24
Q

What does ground substance consist of?

A

proteoglycans
glycoproteins
phospholipids
water

25
Q

Composition + properties of proteoglycans

A

COMPOSITION:
core protein + long unbranched polysaccharide chain

PROPERTIES:
highly polar
water binding

can act as lubricant/shock absorber

26
Q

Composition of glycoproteins

A

conjugated proteins

+ 1 or more short, irregular saccharide side chains

27
Q

How are collagen fibres formed

A
  1. tropocollagen secreted into ECM

2. tropocollagen polymerises to form collagen - forms crosslinks

28
Q

What is tropocollagen?

A

3 alpha polypeptide chains bound together to form collagen

29
Q

Composition of collagen

A

33% glysine
10% hydroxyproline
0.5% hydroxylysine
66% AA - ie, glysine, alanine, proline

30
Q

What property does a high proline + hydroxyproline content lead to?

A

stiffness of the chain

- as there is a loss of free rotation

31
Q

Properties of collagen

A

basic
hydrophilic - polar/soluble

more crosslinks = less soluble

32
Q

How are collagen fibres arranged in areas bearing compressive loads?

A

in a lattice

  • lattice arrangement = tissue can stretch to some extent
    = strength + flexibility
33
Q

How are collagen fibres arranged in areas bearing tensional loads?

A

longitudinal arrangement

34
Q

How many types of collagen are there and where would they be found?

A

Type 1:
in every CT

Type 2:
cartilage
vitreous body of the eye

Type 3:
reticular fibres
healing wounds
smooth muscle

Type 4:
basement membrane
bone + dentine (small amounts)

Type 5:
tendons
bone + dentine + dental pulp (small amounts)

35
Q

What happens to the bonds in collagen with age?

A

weak bonds become strong covalent bonds
= mechanical strength increases
= becomes more brittle (eg, skin, bones)

36
Q

What forms elastin?

A

4 polypeptide chains

connected by high number of crosslinks

37
Q

Properties of elastin

A

stable
elastic (stretch + recoil)
insoluble

38
Q

Elastin contains a high number of (a) residues
ie, gly, ala, val, leu

Elastin contains little/no (b) residues
ie, low hydroxyproline, no hydroxylysine

Therefore, it is _(c)_philic

A

(a) non-polar
(b) polar
(c) lipo

Elastin contains a high number of non-polar residues
ie, gly, ala, val, leu

Elastin contains little/no polar residues
ie, low hydroxyproline, no hydroxylysine

Therefore, it is lipophilic

39
Q

Function of elastin

A

contributes to elasticity of tissues

40
Q

Which dental structures can elastin be found in?

A

dentine
dental pulp
periodontal ligament
bone

41
Q

Function of ground substance

A
  1. provides unstructured filling space between cells + fibres
  2. plays a role in mineralisation
  3. holds water
  4. provides environment for laying down/maturing proteins fibres during tissue development + turnover
  5. biological function (eg, cell migration)
42
Q

Which dental structures are CT found in?

A
oral mucosa
PDL
alveolar bone
cementum
dentine
dental pulp