Soft Connective Tissue

Question 1

Types of Connective Tissue - Soft- Hard- Blood and lymph

Answer 1

• Tendons, ligaments, dermis of skin, stroma of organs, mesentery etc.- Bone and cartilage- Some people consider blood and lymph to be a specialised type of connective tissue

Question 2

Cells in connective tissue- Fibroblasts- Adipose cells- Osteocytes/chondrocytes

Answer 2

• Divide very quickly when tissue is damaged. Important in its repair. Lots of RER as they are protein secretors.- Fat cells. Single giant fat droplet inside them. Can have white fat (common) and brown fat.- Cells of bone and cartilage - not covered in detail here.

Question 3

What is:- Shown in the image?- Indicated by the arrows?

Answer 3

• Fibroblast- As shown

Question 4

What is:- Shown in the image

Answer 4

• White fat

Question 5

What is:- Shown in the image- What can it do

Answer 5

• Brown fat- Chemically generate heat

Question 6

Myofibroblasts- What is it?- What does it do?

Answer 6

• A cell with the properties of both a fibroblast and a smooth muscle cell- It can produce collagen fibres and then tug on them to help in closing wounds

Question 7

Leukocytes- Neutrophils- Eosinophils

Answer 7

• Leave the blood stream in response to infection- Increased numbers during allergic reactions and parasitic infections

Question 8

What is:- Shown in the picture- Its function

Answer 8

• Mast cell- Secretes a lot when in contact with foreign particles - hay fever etc

Question 9

What is:- Shown in the picture- Its function

Answer 9

• Plasma cell- Responsible for synthesis of antibodies found in the blood stream

Question 10

Extracellular Matrix consists of:- Fibres- Ground Substance- Tissue Fluid

Answer 10

• Collagen, reticular and elastic fibres- Amorphous, space occupying substance made of GAG’s.- Just tissue fluid

Question 11

Collagen- Formed by- Elasticity- Tensile strength

Answer 11

• Fibroblasts- Inelastic- Extremely strong but still flexible

Question 12

Reticular Fibres- What are they?- What do they do?

Answer 12

• Thin fibres made of a special kind of collagen (type 3)- Form a support network in many organs such as the liver

Question 13

Elastic Fibres- What do they do?- What are they made of?- Where are they found?

Answer 13

• Provide elasticity to tissue- Elastin and fibrolin- Places requiring elasticity such as the walls of the arteries

Question 14

Ground Substance- What are GAG’s- Proteoglycans

Answer 14

• Very large polysaccharide molecules. Found in proteogylcans, which resemble test-tube brushes. Protein core is the stem and GAG’s are the bristles.- Very hydrophilic. Attract water and act somewhat like a sponge. Attributes much of the elasticity to cartilage.

Question 15

What is:- Shown in the picture below- What does it do, and where is it found?

Answer 15

• Mesenchyme- Differentiates into cells that become fibroblasts, chondrocytes, adipocytes and osteocytes. Found in embryos.

Question 16

What is:- Shown in the picture- Where can it be found

Answer 16

• Loose connective tissue (also called areolar)- Mesentery, adipose tissue, stroma of organs etc

Question 17

What is:- Shown in the picture- Where can it be found

Answer 17

• Dense regular connective tissue- Tendons

Question 18

What is:- Shown in the picture- Where can it be found

Answer 18

• Dense irregular connective tissue- Dermis of the skin