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Body Logistics > L10) Connective tissue (proper) ✔ > Flashcards

L10) Connective tissue (proper) ✔ Flashcards

1
Q

Define connective tissue

A

A tissue that connects, supports, binds, or separates
other tissues or organs, typically having relatively few cells embedded in an amorphous matrix, often with collagen or other fibres.

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2
Q

What 3 components of connective tissue ?

A

Cells – mainly mature fibroblasts/fibrocytes, fixed adipocytes, reticular cells (found in all lymphatic tissues)
Fibres – collagens, elastin, reticular fibres
Ground substance – proteoglycans, (glucosaminoglycans, e.g. hyaluronic acid)

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3
Q

What makes up extracellular matrix ?

A

Ground substance + fibres

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4
Q

Define interstitium

A

Space between tissues and organs of the body

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5
Q

What are the 2 types of proper connective tissue ?

A

Loose (areolar tissue and adipose tissue)
Dense (fibrous & collagenous tissue)

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6
Q

Where is loose connective tissue found ?

A
  • In the lamina propria beneath mucosal membranes
  • Abounds the basal lamina
  • Least specialised connective tissue in the adult
  • Widely distributed: under epithelial cell layers (e.g. lamina propria) & around glands, surrounds capillaries, nerves and sinusoids
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7
Q

What are the 2 types of dense connective tissue ?

A

Irregular - Fibres running in different directions
Regular - Fibres running in parallel to each
other

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8
Q

What is the structure of loose connective tissue ( areolar tissue )?

A

Contains multiple cell types - Fibroblast, macrophages, other white blood cells & mast cells adipocytes

Contains two main fibres - Collagenous & elastic

Gel-like ground substance - Proteoglycans, hyaluronic acid, etc.

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9
Q

What are the functions of loose connective tissue ( areolar tissue) ?

A

Holds vessels that supply fluids
Permits cell migration
Involved in inflammation pathways
Acts as packaging around organs
Generally hold everything in place
Cushions and stabilises organs

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10
Q

What is the function of Fibroblasts ?

A

Synthesise and secrete the fibres that lie within the ground substance(extracellular matrix).

Very important in the wound healing process & are the cells primarily responsible for the formation of scar
tissue.

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11
Q

What are myofibroblasts ?

A

Modified fibroblasts that contain actin & myosin.
They are responsible for wound contraction when
tissue loss has occurred.

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12
Q

Where are macrophages derived from ?

A

From blood monocytes - move into loose connective tissue, especially when there is local inflammation

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13
Q

What is the functions of macrophage ?

A

Phagocytic - can degrade foreign organisms and cell debris.

Are ‘professional antigen presenting cells’ (i.e. they can present foreign material to the T lymphocytes of the immune system)

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14
Q

What are the abundant granules in the mast cells cytoplasm ?

A

Histamine (increases blood vessel wall permeability)
Heparin (an anticoagulant)
Cytokines that attract eosinophils and neutrophils

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15
Q

Where are mast cells found ?

A

Found in areolar connective tissue near blood vessels
Absent from CNS - avoid damaging effects of oedema

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16
Q

What are mast cells coated with ?

A

IgE ( immunoglobulin) - molecules which specifically bind allergens - when an allergen cross-links these surface-bound IgE molecules, the contents of the granules are all rapidly released from the cell

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17
Q

What is the structure of adipocytes (unilocular) ?

A

A single enormous lipid droplet, with the nucleus, cytoplasm & organelles all squeezed to one side of the cell

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18
Q

What type of adipocytes (unilocular) are present in loose connective tissue ?

A

Mostly white to yellow = white adipocytes

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19
Q

What is the function of adipocytes ( unilocular ) ?

A

Padding and shock absorber, insulation and energy reserve.

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20
Q

What is the structure of adipocytes (multilocular) ?

A

Brown adipocytes
Very few of these in the adult
Multiple small lipid droplets, with the nucleus, cytoplasm & organelles all squeezed to the centre of the cell

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21
Q

What is the function of adipocytes (multilocular) ?

A

Provides insulation and energy reserve

In neonates: main method of generating heat (non-shivering thermogenesis)

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22
Q

What are fat tissues mainly made of ?

A

white adipose cells trapped in a fine mesh of reticulin fibres

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23
Q

What are the 2 types of fat tissue ?

A

White adipose tissue - single lipid droplet
Brown adipose tissue - many lipid droplet

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24
Q

What are the differences in fat tissue structures ?

A

White adipose tissue :
Normal number of mitochondria
Single peripheral nucleus

Brown adipose tissue :
Increased number of mitochondria
Single central nucleus

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25
How is heat generated in the fat tissues ?
White adipose tissue - In adults, lipid breakdown is slow and heat only generated after shivering reflex. Brown adipose tissue - In neonates and young children, lipid breakdown is accelerated, oxidative phosphorylation is uncoupled to generate heat - Calories generated can double
26
What are adipose cells generated from ?
Immature fibroblasts or mesenchymal stem cells
27
Define collagen
The commonest protein in our body and may constitute between ¼ & ⅓ of our whole-body protein content; with the ground substance it constitutes the extracellular matrix
28
What are the 4 types of collagen ?
Type I Type II Type III Type IV
29
Describe Type I collagen
The most widely distributed type (90% of all collagen). Fibrils aggregate into fibres and fibre bundles (e.g. in tendons, capsules of organs and skin dermis)
30
Describe Type II collagen
Fibrils do not form fibres (present in hyaline and elastic cartilage)
31
Describe Type III collagen
Fibrils form fibres around muscle & nerve cells & within lymphatic tissues & lymphatic organs (e.g. spleen) and in tendons - It is called reticulin
32
Describe Type IV collagen
Unique form present in basement membrane (considered of epithelial tissues)
33
What are the features of fibres in connective tissue?
Collagen – Flexible with high tensile strength Reticular/reticulin – Provide a supporting framework/sponge Elastin – Allows tissues to recoil after stretch or distension. (Absent in areolar tissue )
34
What is a ground substance ?
A viscous, clear substance with a slippery feel- it has a high water content. Composed of proteoglycans (large macromolecules consisting of a core protein to which GAGs are covalently bound)
35
What are Glycosaminoglycans(GAGs) ?
Long-chained polysaccharides GAGs attract water to form a hydrated gel - permits rapid diffusion but also resists compression
36
What is present in the ground substance cartilage ?
A unique GAG is hyaluronic acid that is bound to proteoglycans by a link protein to form giant hydrophilic macromolecules.
37
What type of cell is present in mucoid connective tissue?
Immature fibroblast (undifferentiated mesenchymal cells)
38
What type of fibre is present in mucoid connective tissue ?
Thin collagen III fibres
39
Where are mucoid connective tissues found ?
Umbilical cord (Wharton’s Jelly) Vitreous humor of the eye
40
What are the 2 types of connective tissue?
Regular Irregular
41
What is the function of tendons ?
Connect muscle to bone
42
What is the structure of regular dense connective tissue in tendons ?
Collagen bundles lie in a parallel, densely packed formation in line with the tensile force exerted by the muscle
43
What is the myotendinous junction ?
Skeletal muscle fibres connecting with tendon collagen bundles at myotendinous junctions - provides physiological strength
44
How is the myotendinous junction formed ?
Collagen passes from the tendon to the muscle fibres - interacts with the collagen fibres coating the muscle fibres Cross-links between these fibres results in mechanical strength
45
How are forces transmitted in tendon ?
Along collagen bundles because they can glide over each other
46
What makes up tendon ?
30% collagen 2% elastin 68% water
47
What types of collagen make up tendons ?
70% Collagen I 30% Collagen III (reticulin)
48
What is the function of ligament ?
Connecting bone to bone
49
What is the structure of regular dense connective tissue in ligaments ?
Parallel collagen fibres Not straight, but undulate Wrapped in loose connective tissue - fascicles
50
What is the structure of irregular dense connective tissue in the superficial layer of the dermis in the skin?
Densely packed but irregularly orientated collagen bundles - skin can resist forces in multiple directions to prevent tearing. The elastic fibres allow a degree of stretch & a restoration to the original shape after skin is bent or folded
51
What are the 3 types of fascia ?
Superficial Deep Visceral or parietal
52
What is fascia made up of ?
fibrous connective tissue containing closely packed bundles of collagen fibres oriented in a wavy pattern parallel to the direction of pull
53
What are the properties of fascia ?
flexible & able to resist great unidirectional tension forces until the wavy pattern of fibres has been straightened out by the pulling force
54
What produces the collagen fibres in the fascia ?
Fibroblasts located within the fascia
55
Name some locations that have dense irregular tissue ?
Deep layer of the dermis Submucosa of intestine
56
Name some locations that have dense regular tissue ?
Tendons Ligaments Aponeuroses
57
Summarise the structure of dense irregular connective tissue ?
Contains fibroblasts Collagen I fibres in all directions Resists stresses in all directions
58
Summarise the structure of dense regular connective tissue ?
Contains fibroblasts Collagen I fibres in parallel Resists stress in only one direction
59
How is collagen fibril produced ?
Fibroblasts secrete procollagen that is converted to collagen molecules outside the cell. The collagen molecules are then aggregated to form the final collagen fibrils
60
What is vitamin C required for ?
Intracellular production of procollagen, where it hydroxylates proline and lysine
61
What is the importance of Vitamin C in collagen ?
Without vitamin c - collagen formation is disrupted
62
Which disease is caused by vitamin C deficiency?
Scurvy
63
What is scurvy ?
A condition that includes poor wound healing & impaired bone formation
64
What are the symptoms/signs of scurvy ?
Gum disease and tooth loss Bruising of the skin and hair loss Bleeding Poor wound healing Weakness and fatigue Impaired bone development in the young
65
What is Marfan's syndrome ?
Autosomal dominant disorder in which expression of the fibrillin 1 gene is affected such that elastic tissue is abnormal
66
What are the signs/symptoms of Marfan's syndrome ?
Abnormally tall, Arachnodactyly, Have frequent joint dislocation
67
What are those with Marfan's syndrome at risk of ?
Catastrophic aortic rupture
68
Define Elastin
Primary component of elastic fibres
69
How are elastin fibres formed ?
Enfolds itself and is surrounded by microfibrils called fibrillin
70
What are Desmosine & Isodesmosine
Amino acids that hold fibrillin to elastin
71
Name the sites at which elastic fibres have an important role
Dermis Artery walls Lungs Sites bearing elastic cartilage
72
What is Osteogenesis imperfecta
“Brittle bone disease” - congenital defect of bone formation resulting in weak bone
73
What causes Osteogenesis imperfecta ?
Mutated collagen fibres that do not ‘knit together’ or not enough produced or both
74
What are the signs/symptoms of Osteogenesis imperfecta ?
Weakened bones (fractures are common) Short stature (depends on type) Presence of blue sclera Hearing loss Hypermobility (loose joints) & flat or arched feet Poor teeth development

Body Logistics (15 decks)

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