Connective Tissue/Cartilage Flashcards
What are some examples of connective tissue?
- Bone
- Ligaments
- Fat
- Blood
What are the functions of connective tissue?
- Bind and support other tissues e.g. ligament and bone
- Protect and insulate organs e.g. fat
- Transport nutrients e.g. blood
What are the features of connective tissue?
- Cells
- Matrix
- protein fibers
- ground substance
What are BLAST cells?
- secrete matrix
- e.g. bone (osteoblast)
- e.g. cartilage (chondroblast)
What are CYTE cells?
- maintain matrix
- e.g. bone (osteocyte)
- e.g. cartilage (chondrocyte)
What is the Matrix?
- Protein fibers embedded in ground substance
- Make up of matrix gives each type of connective tissue unique properties
What is ground substance?
- Can be fluid, gel or solid
- Composed of: core protein chain, polysaccharide side chains
- Amorphous (no specific shape)
What is the purpose of ground substance?
- support cells
- bind cells together
- medium for substance exchange between blood and cells
What are Elastic Fibers?
- consist of protein called elastin
- can be stretched 150% of relaxed length without breaking
What are collagen fibers?
- consist of protein called collagen
- very tough and resistant to tension (pulling forces)
- often arranged in bundles, giving great strength
- still allow some flexibility because not taunt
What are the three types of cartilage?
- Hyaline cartilage
- Fibrocartilage
- Elastic Cartilage
What are the roles of hyaline cartilage?
- covers articular surfaces of joints
- reduces friction
- absorbs shock
- e.g. end of bones
What is the composition of Hyaline cartilage?
- chondrocytes
- ground substance
- resilient gel
- fine collagen fibers
What is the roles of fibrocartilage?
- forms discs and rings between joints
- can resist considerable pressure
- great strength, some elasticity
- e.g. discs in spine
What is the composition of fibrocartilage?
- chondrocyte
- matrix
- bundles of thick collagen fibres
- gives strength
What is the composition of dense regular connective tissue?
- fibroblasts
- matrix
- collagen fibres in parallel bundles
- a few elastin fibers
- great tensile strength (resists pulling in one direction)
What is the function of dense regular connective tissue?
Provides strong attachment between structures
What are ligaments?
- attach bone to bone
- stabilise joints
- restrict excessive motion
What are tendons?
- attach muscle to bone
- transmit tensile loads
What is the composition of dense irregular connective tissue?
- fibroblasts
- matrix
- collagen fibers randomly arranged
- a few elastin fibers
- strong in multiple directions
What is the function is dense irregular tissue?
provide strength in multiple directions
what is deep fascia?
- a sheet of connective tissue surrounding and protecting muscles
- also holds muscles together and separates into functional groups
