Connective Tissue (Components and Purpose) Flashcards
What are the purposes of connective tissue?
Binds and strengthens other body tissues, acts as a transport system, stores energy reserves
Where is connective tissue not found?
Body surfaces (if you can see your connective tissue it’s a bad thing)
Are connective tissues generally highly vascular?
Yes (with few exceptions)
Which connective tissues are not highly vascular?
Cartilage (avascular) and tendons (little blood supply)
Is connective tissue supplied by nerves?
Yes (with one exception)
Which connective tissue is not supplied by nerves?
Cartilage
What are the components of connective tissue?
Cells and an Extracellular Matrix
What are the components of the Extracellular Matrix?
Ground Substance and Protein Fibers
Which component of connective tissue primarily dictates its qualities?
The Extracellular Matrix (Cartilage: ECM is firm and Rubbery
Bone: ECM is hard and inflexible)
What are the components of Ground substance?
Water, Proteins and Polysaccharides (Sugars)
What are the sugars in the Ground Substance?
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGS)
Glycosaminoglycans join with core proteins to form what?
Proteoglycans
What is another word for Glycosaminoglycans?
Mucopolysaccharides
Glycosaminoglycans are ___ ___ polysaccharides, chains of ___ units of ___
Long unbranched polysaccharides, chains of repeating units of sugars
What are 4 different sulphated Glycosaminoglycans?
Dermatan Sulphate, Heparin Sulphate, Keratan Sulphate and Chondroitin Sulphate
What is a non-sulphated glycosaminoglycan?
Hyaluronic acid
Can Dermatan Sulphate, Heparin Sulphate, Keratan Sulphate and Chondroitin Sulphate bind with core proteins to form proteoglycans?
Yes
Can Hyaluronic acid bind to core proteins to form proteoglycans?
No
Glycosaminoglycans are highly polar and so attract ___ towards them
Water
The proteoglycan and hyaluronic acid complex becomes very ___ due to the glycosaminoglycans attracting ___ towards it
Hydrated, Water
Because the hyaluronic acid and proteoglycan complex becomes so hydrated, it becomes ___
Slippery
What does the slipperiness of the proteoglycan and hyaluronic acid complex allow it to do?
Form many lubricating substances around the body and allow cells to move past within the extracellular matrix
What does hyaluronic acid do?
Binds cells together and lubricates joints
What enzyme “eats up” hyaluronic acid?
Hyaluronidase