Histology Flashcards
What colour does PAS stain sugars?
Deep magenta
What colour does alcian blue stain mucins?
Blue
What colour does H&E stain nuclei and cytoplasm?
Nuclei - Blue
Cytoplasm - Pink
What shape are smooth muscle cells?
Fusiform
What are columnar cells?
Epithelial cells which are taller than they are wide
What are squamous cells?
Flattened plate-like cells
Where does DNA transcription occur?
The nucleolus
What 2 things happen in the outer membrane of the mitochondria?
- Lipid synthesis
- Fatty acid metabolism
What happens in the inner membrane of the mitochondria?
Respiratory chain ATP production
What happens in the matrix of the mitochondria?
TCA (Kreb’s) cycle
What happens in the inter membranous space of the mitochondria?
Nucleotide phosphorylation (ADP to ATP)
What is the lifespan of erythrocytes?
120 days
What is chromatin?
Nuclear DNA and proteins
What happens in the RER?
Protein synthesis
What happens in the SER?
Membrane lipid is formed
What happens in the Golgi apparatus?
Formation of complex oligosaccharides, protein phosphorylation and proteolysis
What is the filament with the smallest diameter?
Actin
Name a microfilament
Actin
Name a microtubule
Tubulin
Name 3 intermediate filaments
Desmin, nuclear laminin and vimentin
Name the three filaments in increasing size
Microfilament, intermediate filament, microtubules
What is the intermediate filament mainly found in muscle?
Desmin
Where are cytokeratins (intermediate filaments) found?
Epithelial cells
Where are desmin (intermediate filaments) found?
Myocytes
Where are Glial fibrillary acidic protein (intermediate filaments) found?
Astrocytic glial cells
Where are Neurofilament protein (intermediate filaments) found?
Neurons
Where are nuclear laminin (intermediate filaments) found?
Nuclei of all cells
Where are vimentin (intermediate filaments) found?
Mesodermal cells
What is lipofuscin?
A wear and tear pigment formed by per oxidation of membrane lipids
What is haemosiderin?
An iron-containing brown pigment
What is melanin?
A brown pigment produced by melanocytes in skin (and elsewhere)
What is rhodopsin?
A pigment found in the retina
How is simple squamous epithelium formed?
By flattened epithelial cells resting on a basement membrane
What is endothelium?
An epithelium which lines the inside of blood vessels?
What is mesothelium?
An epithelium which lines the outside of the lungs
What is peritoneum?
An epithelium which lines the abdominal organs
What are the two features of columnar epithelium?
- Cells are taller than they are wide
- May have projections such as cilia/microvilli
Do all epithelial compromise of nucleated cells?
Yes
What is a possible feature of simple columnar epithelium?
Microvilli on luminal surface
What is the epithelium of the Fallopian tube?
Columnar ciliated epithelium
What does respiratory epithelium consist of?
Pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium containing admixed goblet cells
Where is respiratory epithelium found?
The conducting airways:
- Nasopharynx
- Nasal sinuses
- Trachea
- Bronchi
- Bronchioles
What are the two proteins which are involved in ciliary movement?
- Tubulin
- Dynein
Name two non-contractile proteins
- Collagen
- Elastin
Name two contractile proteins which are found in muscle cells
- Actin
- Myosin
Name one feature of urothelium
It is waterproof
What type of epithelium is urothelium?
Complex stratified epithelium with a pseudo stratified component beneath a surface layer of umbrella cells that aren’t in contact with the basement membrane
What is the purpose of umbrella cells in urothelium?
Make the epithelium waterproof
Name 4 places where the urothelium lines
- Renal pelvis
- Ureters
- Urinary bladder
- Urethra
What does PAS help highlight?
Basement membranes
Name things which basement membranes consist of
Type IV collagen and fibronectin
What is the function of desmosomes?
Help spread mechanical forces across cells and their neighbours, and anchor cells together
What is the function of hemidesmosomes?
Bind the basal cell layer to the basement membrane
What is holocrine secretion?
When a gland secretes by shedding individual cells
Where is merocrine secretion?
Release of cell products by exocytosis from apical cell surface
What is apocrine secretion?
Involves pinching off part of the apex of the cell
Name 3 types of exocrine secretion
- Holocrine
- Merocrine
- Apocrine
What is endocrine secretion?
Release of products from the cell base into the bloodstream
What are monocytes derived from?
Haematopoietic stem cells
What cells are derived from mesenchymal cells?
Fibroblasts, fat cells and most cartilage/bone cells
What cells are from the haemopoietic stem cell line?
Monocytes, macrophages, lymphocytes, mast cells and blood cells
What substance is found in the walls of elastic arteries?
Elastin
What do fibroblasts produce?
Elastin and collagen
Name 3 visible extracellular fibres
- Reticulin
- Collagen
- Elastin
Name 2 invisible fibres
- Fibronectin
- Laminin
What is tropocollagen?
A triple helix of peptides
What secretes tropocollagen subunits?
Fibroblasts
Where is type I collagen found?
Skin
Where is type II collagen found?
Cartilage
Where is type III collagen found?
Liver, bone marrow and spleen (reticulin)
Where is type IV collagen found?
Basement membranes
Where is type V collagen found?
Placenta
What kind of cartilage is found in the epiglottis?
Elastic
Name 2 places where fibrous cartilage can be found?
- Symphysis pubis
- Intervertebral discs
Name 2 places where hyaline cartilage can be found?
- Part of the nasal septum
- The knee joint
What is the structure of fat inside the white adipose tissue?
- Single, large non membrane-bound globules of lipid in each cell
- Pushes the nuclei to the edges of cells
What is one of the differences between brown and white adipocytes?
- White has one big globule
- Brown has multiple fat globules
What is the primary function of brown adipose tissue?
Heat generation
Where is brown adipose mainly found in adults?
Between shoulder blades
Where is brown adipose mainly found in neonates?
Neck, back, around the aorta and the kidneys
What is the structure of the tendons or ligaments?
Dense regular fibrous connective tissue
Which connective tissue has collagen fibres running in the same direction?
Dense regular connective tissue
What is the connective tissue in the penile fascia?
Dense irregular connective tissue
What is the connective tissue in the adventitia of arteries?
Loose irregular connective tissue
What is the connective tissue in the dermis?
Dense and loose irregular connective tissue
What is the muscular layer of the uterus and what muscle type is it?
Myometrium - smooth muscle
Name two elastic arteries in the body
Aorta and pulmonary artery
Name two muscular arteries in the body
Radial and splenic
What is the feature of muscular arteries?
The media compromises of smooth muscle with very little elastin
Name one component which veins lack
External elastic lamina
What are the layers of the arteries, from inside out?
- Endothelium
- Intima
- Internal elastic lamina
- Media
- External elastic lamina
- Outer adventitia
How is the diameter of capillaries regulated?
By pericytes
What are pericytes?
Contractile cells which wrap around the outside of capillaries and regulate capillary diameter
What is the structure of capillaries?
Compromise of endothelial cells resting on a basement membrane. They don’t have an intima, media or adventitia
Where may capillaries be fenestrated?
The kidney or liver
What are fenestrations?
Gaps in the endothelial layer
Give 3 characteristics of lymphatic vessels
- Contain valves
- Poorly developed elastic laminae
- Thin media, making them similar to veins
Name two things which cartilage lacks
Blood vessels and lymphatics
Where is endometrium present?
Between individual axons
Where is perineurium present?
Surrounds the groups of axons to form fascicles
Where is epineurium present?
Binds fascicles together to form nerve fibres
Which cells produce myelin?
Schwann cells
How do Schwann cells produce myelin?
By repeatedly wrapping itself around part of an axon
What does myelin compromise of?
Multiple layers of Schwann cell membrane
What is a Node of Ravier?
A gap between two Schwann cells on a single axon. The axon is in tact but there is no myelin at this site
What are Schmidt-Lanterman incisures?
Small pockets of cytoplasm left behind during the Schwann cell myelination process
How many axons are myelinated by a single Schwann cell?
1
In unmyelinated axons, how many axons are supported by a single Schwann cell?
Many
Define motor neuron
Cell bodies in grey matter of spinal cord
Define sensory neuron
Cell bodies in dorsal root ganglion
Define sympathetic neuron
Cell bodies in grey matter of cord and in adjacent sympathetic ganglia
Define parasympathetic neuron
Cell bodies in brain and basal ganglia
What percent of the blood is made up of white blood cells?
1%
What is the fluid in blood?
Plasma (or serum if the clotting factors have been removed)
What percentage of the blood is the plasma?
56%
What percentage of the blood consists of the red blood cells?
43%
What percentage of the blood does the white cells and platelets consist of?
1%
What is plasma?
Serum + clotting factors
What is the pattern of formation of erythrocytes?
- First formed in the yolk sac
- Then formed in the liver
- The formed in the bone marrow
Where is haematopoiesis confined to?
- Marrow of flat bones
- Proximal ends of the humeri/femurs
Where are erythrocytes destroyed?
Liver and spleen
What are the predominant leukocytes?
Neutrophils
What is the function of eosinophils?
Help defend against parasitic infections. There numbers increase when there is a parasitic infection
Where do B lymphocytes mature in adults?
Bone marrow
Name two cells which have receptors to IgE and the significance of this
- Basophils and Eosinophils
- They are antagonistic in function
Which cell produces histamines?
Basophils
Which cells counter the action of histamine?
Eosinophils
Name 3 cells in the immune system which are phagocytic
- Eosinophils
- Neutrophils
- Monocytes
Which cells secrete antibodies?
Plasma cells
What is the most abundant leucocyte?
Neutrophils
Name 1 cell of the immune system which doesn’t have IgE receptors
Neutrophils
Which cells become mast cells?
Basophils
Which cells neutralise histamine?
Eosinophils
What cells do monocytes develop into in the liver?
Kupffer cells
What cells do monocytes develop everywhere?
Tissue macrophages and antigen presenting cells
What cells do monocytes develop into in bone?
Osteoclasts
What cells do monocytes develop into in the lungs?
Alveolar macrophages
What are haemocytoblasts?
Multipotential haemopoietic stem cells
What do megakaryocytic give rise to?
Platelets
What are platelets?
Membrane-bound fragments of the cytoplasm of megakaryotes
Where does erythropoiesis occur?
Away from bony trabeculae
What is the basic process of erythropoiesis?
- Cells start basophilic and become eosinophilic
- They gradually lose organelles (as they gain haemoglobin)
- The nucleus stays round and is eventually extruded
- The cells get smaller as they mature
What is the outermost layer of the heart?
Visceral pericardium
What are the layers of the heart (outside in)?
Visceral pericardium, epicardium, myocardium, endocardium
What is the parietal pericardium?
A fibrous sac that contains the heart
Name two layers of the heart which have the same cells
Visceral pericardium and parietal pericardium
What cell type is the pericardium of the heart?
Simple squamous epithelium
What cell type is the pleura and peritoneum of the heart?
Simple squamous epithelium
What is a feature of ventricular cardiac myocyte?
Myofibrils in register (they appear striated)
Name 3 visible extracellular fibres
Reticulin, collagen and elastin
Name 2 invisible extracellular fibres
Fibronectin and laminin
Which collagen type is prevalent in the placenta?
Type V
What is the structure of tropocollagen?
A triple helix of peptides
Where are tropocollagen subunits secreted from?
Fibroblasts
Which collagen type is prevalent in the skin?
Type I
Which collagen type is prevalent in cartilage?
Type II
Which collagen type is prevalent in liver?
Type III
Which collagen type is prevalent in bone marrow?
Type III
Which collagen type is prevalent in the spleen?
Type III (reticulin)
Which collagen type is prevalent in basement membranes?
Type IV
What kind of cartilage does the epiglottis have?
Elastic cartilage
What type of cartilage is found in the symphis pubis and intervertebral discs/
Fibrous cartilage
What type of cartilage does part of the nasal septum and the knee joint have?
Hyaline cartilage
What is the most commonly used dye combination?
H&E
What colour does H&E stain certain cell parts?
Cell nuclei - Blue
Cytoplasm - Pink
Name something other than cytoplasm that stains pink with H&E
Extra-Cellular fibres
What does PAS stain?
Sugars
What does Van Gieson stain?
Elastic
What does alcian blue stain?
Mucins
Name 6 shapes of cells
- Rounded
- Polygonal
- Fusiform
- Squamous (flattened)
- Cuboidal
- Columnar
What type of cells tend to be smaller?
Ones which are less metabolically active
Name 1 cell type which has a lifespan of days
Lining of the gut
Name 3 cell types which have a lifespan of days
Blood, skin and connective tissues
Name 2 cell types which have a lifespan of years
Bones and tendons
Name a cell type which lasts nearly a whole life
Skeletal muscle (limited regeneration)
Name 3 cell types which last a whole life
Nerves/brain, Cardiac muscle and germ cells
Give 3 features of the nucleus
- Brain of the cell
- Double nuclear membrane
- Houses DNA
Give 2 features of the nucleolus
- 1-3 microns in diameter
- Site of rRNA formation
Give 4 features of the mitochondria
- Powerhouses of the cell
- Site of oxidative phosphorylation
- Have their own DNA
- Double membrane
What is the function of the outer membrane of the mitochondria?
Lipid synthesis and fatty acid metabolism
What is the function of the inner membrane of the mitochondria?
Respiratory chain and ATP production
What is the function of the matrix of the mitochondria?
TCA (Krebs’ cycle)
What is the function of the inter membranous space of the mitochondria?
Nucleotide phosphorylation (ADP to ATP)
What is the function and structure of RER?
- Site of protein synthesis
- Highly folded flattened membrane sheets
What is the function and structure of the Golgi apparatus?
- Processes macromolecules synthesised in the ER
- Parallel stacks of membrane
Where is the Golgi apparatus usually prominent?
Plasma cells
What are vesicles and what are they used for?
- Small spherical membrane-bound organelles
- Used for transport, storage and exchanging cell membrane between compartments
What are the function of lysosomes?
Contain acid hydrolyses that degree proteins
What are the function of peroxisomes?
Contain enzymes which oxidise long-chain fatty acids
What is a typical diameter of a microfilament?
5nm
What is a typical diameter of a microtubule?
25nm
What is a typical diameter of a intermediate filament?
10nm
Where can cytokeratins be located?
Epithelial cells
Where can desmin be located?
Myocytes
Where can glial fibrillary acidic protein be located?
Astrocytic glial cells
Where can neurofilament protein be located?
Neurons
Where can nuclear laminin be located?
Nuclei of all cells
Where can vimentin be located?
Mesodermal cells
What is lipofuscin and where is it commonly found?
- Membrane-bound orange-brown pigment
- Common in heart/liver
What are the 3 functions of epithelia?
Protection, absorption and secretion
What are the 3 types of muscle?
Smooth, skeletal and heart
Name 4 supporting tissues
Cartilage, bone, tendons and blood
What does epithelial compromise of?
A cohesive sheet of cells, with one or more layers, resting on a basement membrane
How is epithelia categorised?
According to the shape of the cells and the number of layers of cells
What is simple epithelia?
A single layer of cells on a basement membrane
What is stratified (compound) epithelia?
Two or more layers of cells on a basement membrane
What is simple squamous epithelium?
A single layer of flattened plate-like cells on a basement membrane with parallel oval nuclei
What is endothelium?
The simple squamous epithelium which lines the inside of blood vessels
What is mesothelium?
The simple squamous epithelium which lines the outside of the lungs
What is peritoneum?
The simple squamous epithelium which lines the abdominal organs
What is simple cuboidal epithelium?
A single layer of cells with similar height and width on a basement membrane, central spherical nuclei
Name 2 places where the simple cuboidal epithelium lines
- Kidney tubules
- Small ducts
What is simple columnar epithelium?
A single layer of cells taller than they are wide, on a basement membrane. They may have cilia or microvilli
Name 3 places where the simple columnar epithelium lines
- Stomach
- Intestines
- Uterus
What are microvilli?
- Microscopic projections on luminal surface of absorptive cells
- Increase SA
Where may microvilli be found?
Intestinal brush border
What is cilia?
Microscopic motile projections on luminal surface of cells
Where may cilia be found?
Respiratory or reproductive tracts
Give 2 features of stratified epithelia
- Protective function
- Many layers of cells
Where is stratified epithelia usually found?
At sites subject to abrasive forces
What is stratified squamous non-keratinising epithelium?
- Multiple layer of cells on a basement membrane
- Mature surface layers are plate-like squames
Name 3 places which stratified squamous non-keratinising epithelium lies
- Mouth
- Oropharynx
- Vagina
What is stratified squamous keratinising epithelium?
- Multiple layer of cells on a basement membrane
- Mature surface layers are plate-like squares
- Waterproof layer of keratin
Where is stratified squamous keratinising epithelium found?
Skin
What is pseudostratified epithelium?
A single layer of cells of variable height, mimicking multiple layers on a basement membrane
Where is pseudo stratified epithelium found?
Lines the conducting airways
What is urothelium?
A specialised stratified epithelium
What is the structure of urothelium?
- Surface layer of umbrella cells
- Cells between umbrella cells appear 3-7 layers thick
Where is urothelium found?
The collecting part of the urinary tract
What is the basement membrane made of?
Several extra-cellular proteins including collagen IV and fibronectin
What is the function of the basement membrane?
Essential for the proper functioning and survival of the epithelium
What is an occluding (tight) junction?
Band-like fusions between cells that are impervious to most molecules, prevents diffusion between cells
What are desmosomes (anchoring/adherent junctions)?
- Plaques that form physical joins between cells and connect the cytoskeletons of adjacent cells
- Spread forces across several cells
What are gap junctions (aka communicating junctions)?
Electrical junctions that permit the transfer of small molecules, electrically couple adjacent cells
What is the origin of connective tissue cells?
Mainly derived from undifferentiated mesenchymal cells, but may also be from the haemopoietic stem cell line
Name the 5 cell types which are derived from mesenchymal cells
- Mast cells
- Fibroblasts
- Chondroblast
- Osteoblast
- Adipocytes
What do fibroblasts later derive into?
Fibrocytes
What do chondroblasts later derive into?
Chondrocytes
What do osteoblasts later derive into?
Osteocyte
What are the 3 constituents of connective tissues?
- Cells
- Visible fibres
- Ground substance (a hydrophilic jelly and invisible fibres)
What are the 3 types of connective tissues?
- Fibrous (loose/dense)
- Hard (cartilage/bone)
- Fatty (white/brown)
What is tropocollagen?
A triple helix of peptides
Where is tropocollagen secreted from?
Fibroblasts
Where is type I collagen found?
Skin
Where is type II collagen found?
Cartilage
Where is type III collagen found?
Liver, bone marrow, spleen (reticulin)
Where is type IV collagen found?
Basement membranes
Where is type V collagen found?
Placenta
What colour do collagen fibres stain with H&E?
Pink
Give 3 features of loose connective tissue
- Widely spaced thin collagen fibres
- Fibroblasts/fibrocytes
- Unstained ground substance
Give 4 features of dense connective tissue
- Closely spaced thick collagen fibres
- Fibroblasts/fibrocytes
- Unstained ground substance
- May be irregular or regular
Give 4 features of reticulin
- Type III collagen
- Fibrillar collagen
- Forms a supporting scaffold in many organs
- Not visible with H&E - need a silver stain
What does elastic tissue compromise of?
Fine fibres and sheets of elastin
Give 3 features of elastin
- May be branched
- Produced by fibroblasts
- Stain pink on H&E
What is the structure of white adipose (fatty) tissue?
Large cells with a single fat globule in each cell
What is the structure of brown adipose (fatty) tissue?
Cells with many globules of fat
Where is brown adipose tissue found in a newborn?
Across the shoulders and down the back
What is the importance of brown adipose tissue in a newborn?
Important in neonatal thermos-regulation
What are the 4 constituents of cartilage?
Cells, extracellular matrix, proteoglycans and extracellular fibres
Is cartilage vascular or avascular?
Avascular
Where is hyaline cartilage usually found?
In synovial joints
What is the structure of hyaline cartilage?
Chondrocytes in lacunae surrounded by a amorphous matrix. has no visible fibres
What is perichondrium?
Fibroblasts and collagen
Name 2 places where elastic cartilage can be found
- Pinna
- Epiglottis
What is the structure of elastic cartilage?
Visible elastic fibres in matrix and perichondrium
Where can fibrocartilage be found?
In the annulus fibrosus pubic symphysis
What is the structure of fibrocartilage?
Visible collagen fibres matrix and perichondrium
Where is synovium usually found?
Lines the inside of the joint capsule
What is the structure of the synovium?
- 1-4 layers of synovial cells
- Type A (phagocytes) and Type B (rich in RER)
- Variable shapes (squamous to cuboidal)
- Richly vascular
- Highly innervated
Where is visceral (smooth) muscle found?
- Arterial wall
- Wall of intestine
- Airways of lungs
Where is voluntary (skeletal) muscle found?
- Skeletal muscle
- Larynx
- Diaphragm
Where is cardiac muscle found?
- Heart
- Base of great vessels
Name 3 other contractile cells
- Pericytes
- Myo-Fibroblasts
- Myo-epithelial cells
Give 5 properties of smooth muscle?
- Involuntary muscle
- Fusiform cells
- Central nucleus
- No striations
- Non-branching
What is the general structure of arteries (inside to outside)?
- Lumen
- Intima
- Basement membrane
- Internal elastic lamina
- Media
- External elastic lamina
- Adventitia
Where are the elastic arteries found?
Near the heart e.g. aorta and pulmonary arteries
What are the features of the elastic arteries?
Media contains abundant concentric sheets of elastin
What are the features of muscular arteries?
The media compromises of layers of smooth muscle. Little elastin is in the media
Which vessels are ‘resistance vessels’?
Arterioles
What are arterioles arbitrarily described as?
As having 3 or fewer muscle layers in their media. The elastic laminae is poorly defined
What is the structure of a capillary (from inside to outside)?
Lumen, endothelium and a basement membrane
What are capillaries composed entirely of?
Thin-walled endothelial cells with no surrounding muscle or connective tissue
Which tissues tend to have fenestrated capillaries?
Kidney and liver
What is the structure of veins (from inside to outside)?
- Lumen
- Intima
- Basement membrane
- Internal elastic lamina
- Media
- Adventitia
What is the structure of venues?
Thin walled, contractile pericytes wrap around outside of endothelial cells and form a complete layer as venues get larger
What gets replaced as venues become veins?
Pericytes get replaced by smooth muscle
What is the structure of lymphatics?
- Thin walled
- Similar to capillaries and veins
- Have valves
- Don’t contain blood
- Contains eosinophilic lymph
- May contain lymphocytes
What is the structure of peripheral nerves?
- Composed of axons supported by Schwann cells
- Most are myelinated
- Myelin is produced by Schwann cells
What are the myelinated peripheral nerve components?
Endoneurium, perineurium and epineurium
Where is endoneurium present?
Between individual axons
Where is perineurium present?
Surrounds the groups of axons to form fascicles
Where is epineurium present?
Binds fascicles together to form nerve fibres
What is the structure of a small peripheral nerve fibre?
Bundle of axons interspersed with endometrium and surrounded by perineurium and epineurium
What is myelin and what is its function?
It is a spiral of apposed Schwann cell membranes. It insulates axons
How many Schwann cells are there per myelinated axon?
Multiple
How many axons are there per Schwann cells?
One
What are the gaps between myelin?
Nodes of Ranvier
What is significant about myelinated axons?
- Larger
- Transmit impulses faster than unmyelinated ones
Name 4 peripheral nerves
Motor neurones, sensory neurones, sympathetic neurones and parasympathetic neurones
What is the structure of motor neurones?
Cell bodies in grey matter of spinal cord
What is the structure of sensory neurones?
Cell bodies in dorsal root ganglion
What is the structure of sympathetic neurones?
Cell bodies in grey matter or cord and in adjacent sympathetic ganglia
What is the structure of parasympathetic neurones?
Cell bodies in brain and local ganglia
What is the pericardium?
Outermost layer of the heart
What are the two types of pericardium?
Visceral and parietal
What is the structure of the pericardium?
Layer of mesothelial cells resting on thin layer of fibrous connective tissue
What is the epicardium and where is it situated?
The underlying adipose tissue, vessels and nerves. it is between the pericardium and myocardium
What is the structure of specialised cardiac muscle?
- Striated
- Central nuclei
- Branching
- Intercalated discs
What is endomysium?
Loose fibrous connective tissue between the muscle fibres in the myocardium
What is the myocardium?
The thickest layer of the heart
Which type of myocytes are larger?
Ventricular. Atrial are smaller
What do atrial myocytes contain?
Perinuclear neuroendocrine granules (for atrial natriuretic peptide)
What is the conducting system of the heart?
- SAN
- AVN
- Bundle of His
- Purkinje fibres (subendocardial and large vacuolated muscle cells)
What is the endocardium and what is it compromised of?
- Innermost layer of the heart
- Thin layer of fibrous connective tissue
- Endothelial cells
Where are heart valves found and what are they covered by?
Covered by endothelium and attach to central fibrous body
What do heart valves consist of?
Fibrosa (dense fibrous CT), spongiosa (loose fibrous CT) and ventricularis (collagen dn elastin)
What is the structure of cardiac myocytes?
Branching cells with a single nucleus. Their myofibrils are in register, so they appear striated
What hormone do atrial myocytes secrete?
Atrial natriuretic peptide
Where can Purkinje fibres be found?
Beneath the endocardium
What is the function of Purkinje fibres?
To transmit electrical impulses
What is the structure of the Purkinje fibres?
Large specialised cardiac muscle cells with a cytoplasm rich in glycogen
Which is smaller: myocytes of the SAN or regular?
Those of the SAN
What is the difference between SAN myocytes and regular myocytes?
The myocytes of the SAN have no intercalated discs and are joined by desmosomes . They are embedded in fibrous tissue
Name two things which all cardiac myocytes have.
A nucleus and mitochondria
What cell type lines the mitral valve?
Endothelial cells
What cell type lines the inner surface of the heart, including the surface of the cardiac valves?
Vascular endothelial cells