Connective Tissue Flashcards
(19 cards)
Is CT the stroma or the parenchyma?
Stroma
What are some of the functions of CT?
Connecting tissues or organs to each other; suspending organs’ support/locomotion; elasticity; incompressibility; strength; fills space between other tissues; insulates organs from mechanical damage.
What are the three classifications of CT?
Loose, Dense, and other
What types of tissue are loose CT?
Areolar loose CT, Reticular CT, and adipose tissue
What types of tissue are considered dense CT?
Dense irregular CT and dense regular CT
What types of tissue are classified as ‘other’ CT?
Cartilage, bone tissue, blood and lymphoid tissue
What is the function of areolar loose CT?
Packing material
What is the function of reticular connective tissue?
Supporting meshwork
What is the function of adipose tissue?
Energy storage and shock absorption
What are the characteristics of dense irregular CT?
It’s tough, flexible material
What are the characteristics of dense regular CT?
It’s flexible and has high tensile strength
What is the difference between cartilage and bone tissue?
Cartilage provides flexible support, while bone tissue provides rigid support
What is the function of blood?
Distribution of cells, ions and molecules
What is the function of lymphoid tissue?
Immune response
What are the predominant cell types in CT?
Fibroblasts, osteoblasts, chondrocytes (among some others)
What are the fibrous components of CT?
Collagen fibers, reticular fibers, and elastic fibers
What makes up the ECM of CT?
Fibrous component and ground substance
What is ground substance?
It’s a semi-fluid gel composed of carbs and proteins, water or tissue fluids, and ions
In general, cells of CT are suspended in the ECM. What is the exception?
Blood! Cells are suspended in fluid (plasma) rather than ECM
