Connective Tissues Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 4 types of tissue found in the body?

A
  1. Epithelium
  2. Muscle
  3. Connective
  4. Nervous
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2
Q

Which type of tissue is the most abundant in the body?

A

Connective

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3
Q

Give examples of connective tissues

A
  • Bones (structural integrity)
  • Cartilage (structural integrity, protects joints)
  • Tendons and ligaments (attach muscle to bone)
  • Adipose tissue (energy storage)
  • Mesentery (connects intestine to abdomen)
  • Layers under the skin and around organs (support)
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4
Q

What features define connective tissues?

A
  • Ground substance
  • Fibres
  • Cells
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5
Q

Which components make up the extracellular matrix (ECM)?

A

Ground substance

Fibres

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6
Q

What does the ECM do?

A

Provides structural and biochemical support for cells

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7
Q

What is ground substance?

A
  • Provides biochemical support
  • Clear, semi-solid gel (hyaluronic acid, glucosamine)
  • Profound water-binding ability
  • Provides tissue volume
  • Supports intercellular exchange of substances
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8
Q

What is the function of fibres in the ECM?

A

Provide structural support and tensile strength

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9
Q

What are the 2 main types of fibres in the ECM?

A
  • Collagen

- Elastin

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10
Q

Which fibres are the strongest and most abundant?

A

Collagen

Secreted into the ECM by connective tissue cells

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11
Q

Describe collagen fibres

A
  • The strongest and most abundant fibres

- Provide tensile strength

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12
Q

Describe elastin fibres

A
  • Long and branched

- Provide stretch and recoil ability

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13
Q

How many types of collagen are there?

A

At least 28 types

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14
Q

Describe Type I collagen

A

Found in fibrous tissues (dermis of skin, tendons, ligaments, bone)

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15
Q

Describe Type II collagen

A

Hyaline cartilage

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16
Q

Describe Type III collagen

A

Delicate, branched ‘reticular’ network found in highly cellular organs (e.g. liver)

17
Q

Which cells secrete elasin?

A

Fibroblasts

18
Q

What does elastin do?

A

Confers elasticity to tissues

19
Q

Where are elastin fibres found?

A

Skin, lungs, blood vessels, bladder

20
Q

Which cell type is the most common connective tissue cell type?

A

Fibroblasts

21
Q

What do fibroblasts do?

A

Secrete fibres and components of ground substance

22
Q

What do chondrocytes do?

A

Secrete and maintain ECM in cartilage

23
Q

What do osteoblasts and osteocytes do?

A

Secrete and maintain ECM in bone

24
Q

Connective tissues tend to be highly vascularised. Name the exception

A

Cartilage

25
Q

What are the classifications of connective tissue?

A
  1. Connective tissue proper (loose or dense)

2. Skeletal connective tissues (bone and cartilage)

26
Q

Describe loose connective tissues

A

Mostly ground substance

Areolar, adipose, reticular

27
Q

Describe dense connective tissues

A

Mostly fibres

Regular, irregular, elastic

28
Q

What are the 3 types of loose connective tissue

A
  1. Areolar
  2. Adipose
  3. Reticular
29
Q

What are the 3 types of dense connective tissue

A
  1. Regular
  2. Irregular
  3. Elastic
30
Q

Describe areolar tissue (a loose connective tissue)

A
  • Universal packing material, supports and binds other tissues
  • Found beneath skin, submucosa, surrounding capillaries
31
Q

Describe adipose tissue (a loose connective tissue)

A
  • Functions include energy storage, shock absorption, insulation
  • Found deep beneath skin, breasts, in the abdomen and finger and foot pads
32
Q

Describe reticular tissue (a loose connective tissue)

A
  • Delicate branched network
  • Type III collagen
  • Provides internal structure to highly cellular organs (liver, lymph nodes, spleen)
33
Q

Describe dense regular tissue

A
  • Closely packed collagen fibres running in the same direction
  • Provides tensile strength - found in tendons and ligaments
34
Q

Describe dense irregular tissue

A
  • Closely packed, interwoven fibres running in different directions
  • Found in the dermis of skin, forms a protective capsule around organs
35
Q

Describe dense elastic tissue

A
  • A type of dense regular tissue, dominated by elastic fibres
  • Allows tissues to recoil after stretching
  • Found in the arteries, lung, skin and underlying transitional epithelium
36
Q

What can cause scurvy?

A

Lack of vitamin C

37
Q

What can scurvy lead to?

A
  • Defective collagen formation

- Loose teeth, skin haemorrhages and even death

38
Q

Describe systemic lupus erythmatosis (SLE)

A
  • Autoimmune disease
  • Antibodies target host tissues
  • Include skin, bone, tendons, kidneys
  • Oral symptoms: dryness and soreness
  • Oral manifestations: buccal and palatal lesions
39
Q

Describe Sjorgen’s syndrome

A
  • Autoimmune disease
  • Affects glands that produce saliva and tears
  • Causes dry eyes and dry mouth
  • Increased dental caries and candidiasis