L7 Connective Tissue

Question 1

Connective tissue is derived from which embryonic layer?

A) Ectoderm
B) Mesoderm
C) Endoderm
D) Any of the above

Answer 1

B) Mesoderm

Question 2

What are the three basic components of connective tissue?

Answer 2

• Specialised cells (e.g. fibroblast, osteocyte…)
• Protein fibres (e.g. collagen, elastin, reticulin…)
• Ground substance

Question 3

What is mesenchyme?

Answer 3

Undifferentiated embryological connective tissue

Question 4

Does all of the mesenchyme develop into differentiated tissue during the embryological period, or does anything persist beyond this period?

Answer 4

Some persists, e.g. fibroblasts around blood vessels for repair; umbilical cord

Question 5

How is connective tissue classified?

Answer 5

• Embryonic
• Proper
• Cartilage
• Bone
• Vascular

Question 6

Proper connective tissue can be categorised into 6 sub-types. What are they?

Answer 6

Loose 
Dense Regular
Dense Irregular
Elastic
Reticular
Adipose

Question 7

Loose Connective Tissue

Answer 7

Binding and packing

Flexible - strength in all directions

e.g. skin to underlying muscle, surrounds blood vessels and nerves

Question 8

Dense Regular Connective Tissue

Answer 8

Densely packed collagen fibres parallel to direction of force

e.g. tendons and ligaments

Question 9

What type of tissue are tendons and ligaments? (be specific)

Answer 9

Dense regular connective tissue

Question 10

Dense Irregular Connective Tissue

Answer 10

Densely packed collagen fibres, interwoven.

Strength in all directions

e.g. dermis of skin, submucosa of GI tract

Question 11

Elastic Connective Tissue

Answer 11

Elastic fibres that can stretch 1.5x and return to their shape

Elastic fibres are irregularly arranged and yellow

e.g. walls of large arteries; portions of larynx, trachea, and bronchial tubes

Question 12

Reticular Connective Tissue

Answer 12

Network of woven reticular fibres in a jelly-like matrix

e.g. Forms framework of organs such as liver and spleen

Question 13

Adipose Connective Tissue

Answer 13

Cells store fat droplets and swell

Acts as a food reserve, protects organs, insulates

e.g. hypodermis of skin, surface of heart, breast, surrounds joints

Question 14

What cell type is found in cartilage?

Answer 14

Chondrocyte

Question 15

What are the three types of cartilage?

Answer 15

Hyaline
Elastic
Fibrocartilage

Question 16

Where is fibrocartilage found?

Answer 16

Pads within knee joint; between pubic bones of pelvis; intervertebral discs

Question 17

What are the functions of fibrocartilage?

Answer 17

Resists compression; prevents bone-bone contact (wear); limits relative movement

Question 18

Where is elastic cartilage found?

Answer 18

Auricle of external ear; epiglottis; auditory canal; cuneiform cartilages of larynx

Question 19

What are the functions of elastic cartilage?

Answer 19

Provides support but tolerates distortion without damage and returns to original shape

Question 20

Where is hyaline cartilage found?

Answer 20

Between tips of ribs and bones of sternum; covering bone surfaces at synovial joints; supporting larynx (voice box), trachea, and bronchi; forming part of nasal septum

Question 21

What are the functions of hyaline cartilage?

Answer 21

Provides stiff but somewhat flexible support; reduces friction between bony surfaces

Question 22

What gives bone its hardness?

Answer 22

Calcium phosphate

Question 23

What are the two types of bone?

Answer 23

• Compact or dense (hard outer layer)

- Spongy or cancellous (porous, vascular inner layer)

Question 24

What are the three cellular components of vascular connective tissue?

Answer 24

Vascular connective tissue = blood

• Erythrocytes
• Leukocytes
• Thrombocytes (platelets)