Histo Mid Sem Flashcards
What is LUCA? What makes it common?
Last common universal ancestor.
Lipid bilayer, DNA, ribosomes, proteins (20AA’s)
What is LECA?
Last eukaryotic common ancestor.
Bacteria, archaea, eukaryotes.
What are multicellular metazoans?
Animals.
Means specialisation of cells within groups.
What colour do eosinophilic elements stain?
Pink
Basic compounds attract negatively charged (acidic) dyes.
What colour do basophilic elements stain?
Blue
Negatively charged groups bind positively charged (basic) dyes.
Cell features can be divided into 3 categories, what are they?
Universal - derived from LUCA (bacteria, archaea, eukaryotes).
Eukaryotic - derived from LECA (protists, plants, fungi, animals).
Metazoan - derived from common ancestor of all animals (multicellular and specialised).
What characteristics are common to every cellular organism (universal)?
Cell membrane Cytoplasm DNA, RNA, protein ATP as energy source NA/K pump
What is the cell membrane?
Phospholipid bilayer with membrane proteins embedded within (integral), sitting on the bilayer (peripheral), or crossing the whole membrane (transmembrane).
Surface CHO chains (glycocalyx) for cell recognition, signalling and mechanical protection that attach to lipids (glycolipids) or proteins (glycoproteins).
What can bind to intracellular receptors?
Steroid hormones
What is the cytoplasm?
Water based gel inside the cell.
Shaped by the cell membrane and its permeability - concentrations of CO2, O2, ethanol, water and non-polar lipids.
What is DNA transcription?
mRNA copy of a gene is produced by RNA polymerase.
What is DNA translation?
Occurs in ribosomes in cytoplasm. Each RNA codon is translated into an AA. The AA are then polymerised into an unmodified protein.
What are the characteristics of eukaryotes?
Endomembrane system
Nucleus
Mitochondria
Cytoskeleton
What is the endomembrane system?
Includes nuclear envelope, ER, golgi apparatus, endosomes (lysosomes, phagosomes).
Role in compartmentalising cellular processes (eg. transcription, translation, lysis etc).
An intensely basophilic stained cell would indicate increased….
Protein production.
High concentration of ribosomes and mRNA.
What are mitochondria?
Present only in eukaryotes, their main function is to transform inaccessible energy bound in glucose and FA into accessible energy bound within ATP.
Has its own DNA and ribosomes as it is an enslaved endosymbiotic bacterium.
Has two membranes (inner is bacterial, outer is host - part of endomembrane system).
Where would you expect to see a higher concentration of mitochondria within cells?
Cardiac and brain cells.
What is the function of the cytoskeleton?
Maintain shape
Motility
Intracellular transport
What are the 3 main components of the cytoskeleton?
Microfilaments - actin, movement and stability of internal structures (polarised), cell to cell adhesion.
Intermediate filaments - lie between microfilaments, myosin, vimentin, keratin, provide rigid strength within cell and anchoring to other cells.
Microtubules - large structures, made of tubular proteins, move organelles, flagella/cilia and chromosomes during mitosis, transport of vesicles within cytoplasm.
What are some characteristics of metazoans?
Specialisation - all cells descended from single ovum but become specialised lineages, have diverse morphology, functions and features.
Intercellular junctions - allows communication between cells. May be chemical (tight), mechanical (adherent, desmosomes, hemidesmosomes) or communication (gap).
Where does connective tissue originate from?
Mesoderm - mesenchymal cells
What is the function of connective tissue?
Connect other tissues, protect and support.
Connective tissue cells exist in a ……..
This consists of ….. and …….
Matrix.
Fibres and ground substance.
Describe mesenchymal cells.
Large, oval or stellate. Ovoid nucleus. Loose matrix. Common in embryo, less in adult. Capable of differentiating into other connective tissue, blood vessels and haematopoietic tissue.
Describe fibroblasts?
Cells that make fibres - form all connective tissue.
Plump, spindle-shaped with recesses.
Basophilic cytoplasm with abundant rER and GA.
Secrete fibres and ground substance.
Describe fibrocytes.
Develop from fibroblasts although have smaller cytoplasm as they are less active.
Elongated spindle-shaped.
Maintain fibres and ground substance.
What are reticular cells? Describe them.
Specialised fibrocytes.
Stellate with spherical nucleus and basophilic cytoplasm.
In haematopoeitic and lymphatic organs and also in wound repair areas.
Secrete reticulin fibres.
Phagocytic.
Describe adipocytes.
Unilocular - white fat, polyhedral or spherical, contain one non-membrane bound lipid droplet, flattened and displaced nucleus and cytoplasm.
Multilocular - brown fat, many lipid droplets with central nucleus and mitochondria.
Describe mast cells.
Come from bone marrow but differentiate in connective tissue.
Common is skin, lung and intestine.
Spherical or ovoid shape with central nucleus.
Membrane bound cytoplasmic granules.
What has a similar origin, structure and function to mast cells but cannot divide and is shorter lived?
Basophils
Describe macrophages.
Blood monocytes that have entered tissue.
Phagocytose foreign particles.
Ovoid to spherical with kidney shaped nucleus.
Vacuoles in cytoplasm.
What is a fixed macrophage?
Histiocyte
What are macrophages?
Antigen presenting cells
What up regulates the production of monocytes? What are the consequences of this?
Inflammatory cytokines (eg. IL6). Causes down regulation of erythrocytes as there is only so much room in the bone marrow.
Describe lymphocytes.
Spherical.
Large nucleus, small cytoplasm.
T and B cells.
What are plasma cells?
Effector B lymphocytes.
Ovoid with eccentric nucleus.
What are the three types of fibre?
Collagen
Reticular
Elastic
What is collagen and what function does it have?
Protein consisting of 3 alpha pro collagen fibres.
Strength and flexibility.
Synthesised by fibroblasts mostly.
Multiple types.
What are the 4 basic types of collagen?
I - dermis, capsules, tendons, ligaments (fibrous connective tissue).
II - hyaline and elastic cartilage, intervetebral discs.
III - Blood vessels and nerves, stroma of organs (reticulin).
IV - Basal lamina (epithelia), muscle cells, neuroglia.
What are collagen fibres secreted by?
Fibroblasts.
Secreted as glyucosylated pro collagen molecules.
What are reticular fibres? Describe them.
Type III collagen.
Coated in proteoglycans and glycoproteins.
Thin in flexible, branching networks.
Support cells.
Describe elastic fibres?
Provide elasticity.
Consist of elastin (protein) and supported by fibrillar (glycoprotein).
Synthesised as proelastin by fibroblasts.
Often in close association with collages and cartilage.
Require silver stain.
What are fibrous adhesive proteins?
Cohesion of fibres within the matrix and adhesion of matrix fibres to cells.
Fibronectin - binds fibres to cell membranes. Adhesion, differentiation and growth.
Laminin - large glycoprotein, basal lamina.
What is ground substance and what is it composed of?
Gel in which cells and fibres are suspended.
Composed of glycosaminoglycans (GAG’s), proteoglycans, plasma constituents, water and ions.
Discuss GAG’s
Polysaccharide chains with highly polar groups (help attract water).
Hydrophilic.
Proteoglycans are GAG’s bound to a protein core that bind to hyaluron.
Discuss loose connective tissue.
Also known as areolar connective tissue.
Very common (blood, lymph vessels, nerves, lamina of hollow organs, stroma of solid organs).
Consists of all 3 fibre types and fibrocytes.
Ground substance is plentiful.
Less than 50% fibres.
Discuss dense regular connective tissue.
Tendons and ligaments - one direction of tension.
More fibres (over 50%) than cells or ground substance.
Linear bundles increase tensile strength.
Mainly fibrocytes.
What are fibrocytes?
Inactive fibroblasts
What do fibroblasts make?
Procollagen, GAG’s, glycoproteins.
Also make consitituents that cleave pro-collagen.
Pro-elastin.
Discuss dense irregular connective tissue.
Dermis of skin, aponeuroses of muscles, sclera of eyes, sheaths of nerves, capsules of organs.
Higher percentage of fibres to cells and ground substance.
Random orientation of fibre bundles for stretching and changing shape.
Fibrocytes most common cell.
Discuss reticular connective tissue.
Mesh of reticular cells and fibres.
Bone marrow, lymph nodes and spleen, granulation tissue.
Allows penetration by cells.
Discuss mucoid connective tissue.
Hypodermis, umbilical cord.
Consists of mesenchymal cells.
Extensive matrix rich in ground substance.
Basophilic.
Discuss adipose tissue.
Insulation and energy storage.
Consists of lobules of adipocytes and loose connective tissue.
White - unilocular.
Brown - multilocular (lots of droplets per cell), larger nucleus, lots of mitochondria and blood vessels.
What are the most common cells in cartilage?
Chondroblast - growing cartilage, ovoid with spherical nucleus, abundant rER, prominent GA, forms fibres and matrix for cartilage.
Chondrocyte - mature cartilage, spherical to elongate, cytoplasmic processes extend into matrix, maintains fibres and matrix.
What are lacunae?
Little lakes.
Hole within matrix for osteocyte or chondrocyte.
Discuss the cartilage matrix.
60-80% water.
12-25% GAG’s - chondroitin sulphate, keratin sulphate (important for perfusion by water and electrolytes).
8-15% fibres - type II collagen mostly, fibrous adhesive proteins.
What are the 3 types of cartilage?
Hyaline (collagen fibres type II)
Elastic (elastin fibres)
Fibrocartilage (collagen fibres type I)
Where can you find hyaline cartilage?
Foetal skeleton, growth plates of bones, articular cartilage of synovial joints, costal cartilage of ribs, airways (nasal cavity, larynx, trachea and bronchi).
Describe the cellular makeup and matrix of hyaline cartilage.
Chondrocytes nest in lacunae (may be multiple per lacunae).
Thin pericellular matrix that lacks collagen II, territorial matrix with fine collagen II, inter territorial matrix with coarse collagen II.
Describe elastic cartilage.
Elasticity and rigidity.
Larynx, epiglottis, eustachian tube, ear.
Dense network of elastic fibres.
Looks very similar to hyaline cartilage - requires silver stain (presence of elastin).
Discuss fibrocartilage.
Intervertebral discs, menisci of stifle joint, insertions of tendons and ligaments to bone.
Chondrocytes in rows.
Prominent bundles of collagen I fibres.
Low percentage of ground substance.
What are the cells of bone?
Osteoprogenitor cells
Osteoblasts - make bone matrix (collagen I, ground substance, minerals).
Osteocytes - maintain bone.
Osteoclasts - eat bone (may be multinucleate).
Discuss osteoprogenitor cells.
Develop from mesenchymal stem cells.
May become osteoblastic, chondroblastic, fibroblastic or adipose.
On external and internal surfaces of bone (also other tissues).
Flattened elongated cells, oval nucleus, little cytoplasm.
Discuss osteoblasts.
On periosteal and endosteal surfaces.
Secrete bone matrix.
Cuboidal/columnar shape, basophilic cytoplasm rich in rER.
Discuss osteocytes.
Inactive osteoblasts, lodge in lacunae.
Maintain bone matrix.
More lysosomes than osteoblasts.
Discuss osteoclasts.
From monocyte/macrophage progenitor cells.
Remove bone (fully mineralised only).
Large, multinucleate cells.
Form shallow depressions (howships lacunae) on surface of bone that is being removed.
Plasma membrane becomes folded when attached to bone - ‘ruffled border’.
Secretes protons and lysosomal hydrolyses through ruffled border into howship’s lacuna (acidic environment to break down bone).
Discuss the bone matrix.
Organic - osteoid portion produced by osteoblasts (collagen type I, GAG’s, glycoproteins). Non mineralised.
Inorganic - Ca and P as micro crystals of hydroxyapatite. Other minerals deposited on collagen fibrils.
What does the formula Ca5(PO4)3(OH) stand for?
Hydroxyapatite
What are the 2 main types of bone?
Woven - newer, weaker bone, irregular cells and collagen.
Lamellar - mature bone, lamellate cells and fine collagen.
Discuss Lamellar bone.
Can be cancellous - spongy/trabecular bone, epiphyses and metaphyses (ends).
Or compact - cortical bone (shaft).
Composed of cylindrical units (osteons/Haversian systems).
Haversian canal/osteonal - canal for blood vessels, nerves and endosteum.
Perforating/Volkmann’s canals - link osteonal canals to peri - and endosteal surfaces.
Canaliculli - small channels allowing osteocytes to communicate and receive nutrients.
What is the periosteum?
Outer surface of bone.
Outer fibrous layer (connective tissue) and inner osteogenic layer (cells).
What is the endosteum?
Covers inner surface of bone.
One thin layer of osteoblasts and osteoclasts.
What are the 2 forms of bone formation?
Endochondral - bone develops in cartilaginous model, long bones.
Intramembranous - bone develops in connective tissue, flat bones of skull, ribs.
Describe the process of endochondral ossification.
1) Chondrocytes proliferate in columns.
2) Cartilage matrix mineralises.
3) Chondrocytes die by apoptosis.
4) Blood vessels invade bringing osteoprogenitor cells.
5) Osteoblasts deposit bone on cartilage matrix - forms primary trabeculae of bone.
6) Osteoclasts and osteoblasts remodel primary trabeculae to form secondary trabeculae.
Results in lengthening of long bones due to cartilage cells in physis multiplying and being replaced by bone.