Connective Tissues

Question 1

What are the 4 types of tissue found in the body?

Answer 1

1. Epithelium
2. Muscle
3. Connective
4. Nervous

Question 2

Which type of tissue is the most abundant in the body?

Answer 2

Connective

Question 3

Give examples of connective tissues

Answer 3

• Bones (structural integrity)
• Cartilage (structural integrity, protects joints)
• Tendons and ligaments (attach muscle to bone)
• Adipose tissue (energy storage)
• Mesentery (connects intestine to abdomen)
• Layers under the skin and around organs (support)

Question 4

What features define connective tissues?

Answer 4

• Ground substance
• Fibres
• Cells

Question 5

Which components make up the extracellular matrix (ECM)?

Answer 5

Ground substance

Fibres

Question 6

What does the ECM do?

Answer 6

Provides structural and biochemical support for cells

Question 7

What is ground substance?

Answer 7

• Provides biochemical support
• Clear, semi-solid gel (hyaluronic acid, glucosamine)
• Profound water-binding ability
• Provides tissue volume
• Supports intercellular exchange of substances

Question 8

What is the function of fibres in the ECM?

Answer 8

Provide structural support and tensile strength

Question 9

What are the 2 main types of fibres in the ECM?

Answer 9

• Collagen

- Elastin

Question 10

Which fibres are the strongest and most abundant?

Answer 10

Collagen

Secreted into the ECM by connective tissue cells

Question 11

Describe collagen fibres

Answer 11

• The strongest and most abundant fibres

- Provide tensile strength

Question 12

Describe elastin fibres

Answer 12

• Long and branched

- Provide stretch and recoil ability

Question 13

How many types of collagen are there?

Answer 13

At least 28 types

Question 14

Describe Type I collagen

Answer 14

Found in fibrous tissues (dermis of skin, tendons, ligaments, bone)

Question 15

Describe Type II collagen

Answer 15

Hyaline cartilage

Question 16

Describe Type III collagen

Answer 16

Delicate, branched ‘reticular’ network found in highly cellular organs (e.g. liver)

Question 17

Which cells secrete elasin?

Answer 17

Fibroblasts

Question 18

What does elastin do?

Answer 18

Confers elasticity to tissues

Question 19

Where are elastin fibres found?

Answer 19

Skin, lungs, blood vessels, bladder

Question 20

Which cell type is the most common connective tissue cell type?

Answer 20

Fibroblasts

Question 21

What do fibroblasts do?

Answer 21

Secrete fibres and components of ground substance

Question 22

What do chondrocytes do?

Answer 22

Secrete and maintain ECM in cartilage

Question 23

What do osteoblasts and osteocytes do?

Answer 23

Secrete and maintain ECM in bone

Question 24

Connective tissues tend to be highly vascularised. Name the exception

Answer 24

Cartilage

Question 25

What are the classifications of connective tissue?

Answer 25

1. Connective tissue proper (loose or dense) | 2. Skeletal connective tissues (bone and cartilage)

Question 26

Describe loose connective tissues

Answer 26

Mostly ground substance | Areolar, adipose, reticular

Question 27

Describe dense connective tissues

Answer 27

Mostly fibres | Regular, irregular, elastic

Question 28

What are the 3 types of loose connective tissue

Answer 28

1. Areolar 2. Adipose 3. Reticular

Question 29

What are the 3 types of dense connective tissue

Answer 29

1. Regular 2. Irregular 3. Elastic

Question 30

Describe areolar tissue (a loose connective tissue)

Answer 30

- Universal packing material, supports and binds other tissues - Found beneath skin, submucosa, surrounding capillaries

Question 31

Describe adipose tissue (a loose connective tissue)

Answer 31

- Functions include energy storage, shock absorption, insulation - Found deep beneath skin, breasts, in the abdomen and finger and foot pads

Question 32

Describe reticular tissue (a loose connective tissue)

Answer 32

- Delicate branched network - Type III collagen - Provides internal structure to highly cellular organs (liver, lymph nodes, spleen)

Question 33

Describe dense regular tissue

Answer 33

- Closely packed collagen fibres running in the same direction - Provides tensile strength - found in tendons and ligaments

Question 34

Describe dense irregular tissue

Answer 34

- Closely packed, interwoven fibres running in different directions - Found in the dermis of skin, forms a protective capsule around organs

Question 35

Describe dense elastic tissue

Answer 35

- A type of dense regular tissue, dominated by elastic fibres - Allows tissues to recoil after stretching - Found in the arteries, lung, skin and underlying transitional epithelium

Question 36

What can cause scurvy?

Answer 36

Lack of vitamin C

Question 37

What can scurvy lead to?

Answer 37

- Defective collagen formation | - Loose teeth, skin haemorrhages and even death

Question 38

Describe systemic lupus erythmatosis (SLE)

Answer 38

- Autoimmune disease - Antibodies target host tissues - Include skin, bone, tendons, kidneys - Oral symptoms: dryness and soreness - Oral manifestations: buccal and palatal lesions

Question 39

Describe Sjorgen's syndrome

Answer 39

- Autoimmune disease - Affects glands that produce saliva and tears - Causes dry eyes and dry mouth - Increased dental caries and candidiasis