Histology: Connective Tissue- Adult Connective Tissue Flashcards
What are the two types of connective tissue proper?
1) Loose connective tissue
2) Dense connective tissue
What is a different name for loose connective tissue?
areolar connective tissue
How is dense connective tissue further subcategorised?
based on the organisation of its collagen fibers:
1) dense IRREGULAR connective tissue
2) dense REGULAR connective tissue
What is the structure of loose connective tissue?
- a cellular connective tissue with thin and relatively sparse collagen fibers,elastic and reticular fibers.
- the ground substance is abundant and occupies more volume than the fibers do
- viscous gel-like consistency
What is the primary purpose of loose connective tissue?
- diffusion of oxygen and nutrients from the small vessels that course through the connective tissue
- diffusion of carbon dioxide and metabolic wastes back into the vessels
Why is loose connective tissue called “loose”?
It contains very little fibers and components. Fibers do not overlap, it is easy to simply count them.
What is the most common component of loose connective tissue?
ground substance
What is the consistency of loose connective tissue?
- between solid and liquid
- gel like substance
Where is loose connective tissue located?
- beneath the epithelia that covers the body surfaces (eg. muscles),
- beneath the epithelia which lines the internal surfaces of the body,
- also associated with the epithelium glands,
- surrounds the smallest blood vessels.
What is loose connective tissue the initial site of?
Initial site where pathogenic agents such as bacteria that have breached an epithelial surface are challenged and destroyed by cells of the immune system.
What are most cells in loose connective tissue classified as being?
Transcient wandering cells that migrate from local blood vessels in response to a specific stimuli.
What is dense irregular connective tissue? What is it characterised by?
- abundant fibers
- fibers are typically arranged in bundles oriented in *various directions *
- few cells
- contains mostly collagen fibers
- cells are sparse
- cells are typically of a single type (the FIBROBLAST)
- relatively little ground substance
What is the primary purpose of dense irregular connective tissue? How is this made possible?
providing significant strength (resistant to stretching and stressing):
- because of its high proportion of collagen fibers
What is irregular dense connective tissue?
Dense connective tissue with no order. The collagen fibers are not ordered.
Why are fibers, in irregular dense connective tissue, typically arranged in bundles oriented in various directions
To withstand stresses on organs or structures.
What is type of fiber does the skin contain? What is it called?
fiber: dense irregular fiber
name: RETICULAR layer/deep layer of the dermis
What does the reticular layer provide the skin with?
Provides the skin with resistance to tearing as a concequence of stretching forces from different directions.
What type of layer do hollow organs contain? Why?
Hollow organs possess a distinct layer of dense irregular connective tissue called the SUBMUCOSA.
The fiber bundles in submucosa course in varying planes.
This arrangement of fibers allows the organ to resist excessive stretching and distention.
distention- swelling
What type of movement/stretching can cause damage in the dense irregular connective tissue.
opposite or side direction
What are leather products composed of?
dense irregular connective tissue
What is dense regular connective tissue characterised by?
- ordered and densely packed arrays of fibers and cells
- prominent feature= fibers
- there is little ECM.
What is dense regular conenctive tissue a major component of?
- tendons
- ligaments
- aponeuroses
What are tendons? What do they consist of?
- Cord-like structures that attatch muscles to bones,
- Consist of parallel bundles of collagen fibers.