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z:2017 - Biosci107 1/2 > Connective tissue > Flashcards

Connective tissue Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the function of connective tissue?

A

Binds, support and strengthens other body tissues, it is the major transport system of the body (e.g. blood) and is the major site of stored energy reserves (fat/adipose tissue is CT)

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2
Q

Where can CT NOT be, and where will it be found?

A

It is NOT found on body surfaces, it is however found internally in bones, blood vessels and cartilage

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3
Q

Is CT vascular?

A

It is mostly highly vascular however cartilage is avascular and tendons have a very low blood supply (these are the two exceptions)

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4
Q

Does CT have neural connections?

A

Yes except in the cartilage

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5
Q

What is CT made of?

A

Extracellular matrix (ECM) and cells

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6
Q

What is ECM made of?

A

Ground substance (GS) and fibres

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7
Q

What is GS made of?

A

Water, proteins and sugars (FYI polysaccharides: carbohydrate with multiple sugars bonded together)

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8
Q

What is the kind of sugar found in the GS?

A

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGS)

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9
Q

What do GAGS join with and what do they form?

A

GAGS join with core proteins and form proteoglycans

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10
Q

What are the subtypes of GAGS? What kind of sugars are in each subtype?

A

Sulphated GAG: Dermatan sulphate, Heparin sulphate, Keratan sulphate, Chondroitin sulphate
Non-sulphated GAG: Hyaluronic acid

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11
Q

What makes Hyaluronic acid unique from the other types of sugars found in CT?

A

Hyaluronic acid doesn’t bind directly to protein backbone, instead to various proteoglycans, it is not sulphated or covalently bonded to a core protein

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12
Q

What properties and functions does hyaluronic acid have?

A

It is a viscous slippery substance, it binds cells together and lubricates joints and maintains the shape of the eyeball

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13
Q

What kind of enzyme can be produced to break down hyaluronic acid? Under what circumstance would this be produced and by what?

A

Hyaluronidase, used to hep move through the ECM better, produced by white blood cells and some bacteria to mov embrue easily and sperm cells to get to egg

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14
Q

What is the application of of Chondroitin sulphate?

A

supports and provides the adhesive features of cartilage, bone skin and blood vessels

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15
Q

What is the application of of Keratan sulphate?

A

Found in bone, cartilage and the cornea of the eye

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16
Q

What is the application of of Dermatan sulphate?

A

Found in skin, tendons, blood vessels and heart valves

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17
Q

How is the tissue quality affected by ECM? Give examples

A

The structure of the ECM, e.g. cartilage = firm + rubbery while bone = hard + inflexible due to mineralised ECM

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18
Q

What is an important function of GAGS that has to do with water? How does it achieve this?

A

GAGS can trap more water which helps provide some of the features (e.g. Jelly like, flexible, stiff)
It is because it is a highly polar molecule therefore attracts water

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19
Q

Describe the structure of a hyaluronic acid/proteoglycan complex

A

Glycosaminoglycan’s are bonded onto protein cores to form proteoglycan’s . These proteins are connected onto the Hyaluronic acid backbone by a glycoprotein link

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20
Q

What are the fibre types found in ECM? What are they made of?

A

Collagen and thinner reticular fibres, consists mainly of collagen
Elastic fibres, made of elastin surrounded by the glycoprotein fibrillar

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21
Q

What is a key property of collagen? What is it highly dependent on? How much of the body is made of collaged?

A

It is very strong but very flexible therefore resist pulling forces
Its properties are highly dependent on water (e.g. cartilage&raquo_space; bones)
25% of body weight = cartilage

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22
Q

What are reticular fibres made of? How are they arranged and what are they made of? What are their functions?

A

Made of collaged but in finer bundles with a coating of glycoprotein
Provide strength and support, form part of the basement membrane and form networks in vessels throughout the tissues (by being thinner and branching through tissue)

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23
Q

What kind of structure do elastic fibres form inside the ECM? What is it made of and what properties does it give? Where can it be found and why here?

A

It forms thin fibrous networks
Made of protein elastin surrounded by the glycoprotein fibrillar giving git more strength and stability allowing it to be stretched up to 150% without breaking
It is found in the skin, blood vessels and lungs as they need elastic properties

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24
Q

What hereditary disease impacts elastic fibres? What does the disease do to impact elastic fibres? What is the impacts of this? What notable person MAY have had this disease and how common is it?

A

Marfan syndrome
Dominant mutation on chromosome 15 which codes for fibrillin (structural scaffold for elastin), no longer binds to Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGFb) therefore it is not deactivated = continued growth
Tall and long limbed, chest deforming (protruding/collapsed sternum), normal lifespan but require more medical attention to control things like blood pressure, weakened heart valve arterial wall (doesn’t absorb energy from pulse therefore can rupture)
Abraham Lincoln, 1:20,000

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25
What are the types of cells found in CT?
Fibroblasts, Adipocytes, Marcophages, Plasma cells, Mast cells, Leucocytes
26
What is the function of fibroblasts and where are they found?
Secrete components of the matrix (e.g. fibres and GS), found throughout the CT
27
What is the function of adipocytes and where are they found?
Store fats/triglycerides, found under skin and around organs
28
What is the function and location of macrophages? What are the two kinds?
They are phagocytic cells that battle infection, can be fixed (e.g. in alveolar tissue, spleen, liver) or wandering (attend to sites of infection/inflammation when needed)
29
How are plasma cells produced? What are their functions? Where are they found?
Produced by b-lymphocyte which makes anti-bodies, found in the gut, lungs, salivary glands, lymph nodes, spleen and red bone marrow (know just 3 of them)
30
What are the functions of Mast cells? Where are they found?
Produce histamine which helps dilate blood vessels, resided near blood vessels
31
What are Leucocytes? What do they do and how do they do it?
White blood cells (e.g. neutrophils and eosinophils), fight infections within tissue by migrating out of the blood
32
What is embryonic connective tissue? What is its name? What is its function? What is it made of?
The first tissue to form within the embryo It is called Mesenchyme CT Gives rise to all other CT and is made of CT cells (mesenchymal cells) in a semi-fluid GS containing reticular fibres
33
What are the three types of mature CT?
Connective tissue proper, Fluid connective tissues and Supporting connective tissue
34
What are the subtypes of CT proper?
Loose (areolar, adipose and reticular tissue) and dense (regular, irregular and elastic fibres)
35
What are the difference between the subtypes of CT proper?
``` Loose = fibres create loose open framework Dense = fibres densely packed ```
36
What tissue type is areolar connective tissue? What is the structure, location and function of it?
CT Proper, Loose (many cells fewer fibres) It is made of three types of fibres, collagen, reticular and elastic fibres. It is found everywhere acting like packing material and provides strength elasticity and support
37
What tissue type is Adipose connective tissue? What are the two types of adipose tissue? What is the structure, location and function of them?
CT Proper, Loose Brown and white It is made mostly of adipocytes which are made from fibroblasts. It is found with areolar CT, white = fat storage +, brown = heat generation/insulation as an infant
38
What tissue type is Reticular connective tissue? What is the structure, location and function of it?
CT Proper, Loose a Fine interlacing network of reticular fibers (thin form of collagen fiber) and reticular cells found in the stroma (supportive tissue) of the liver, spleen, lymph nodes; red bone marrow; reticular lamina, blood vessels and muscles (know 3) Forms stroma of organs; binds smooth muscle tissue cells; lters and removes worn-out blood cells in spleen and microbes in lymph nodes
39
What tissue type is Regular connective tissue? What is the structure, location and function of it?
CT Proper, dense (lots of fibres densely packed It is collagen REGULARLY arranged in bundles with fibroblasts in rows between them It is found in most tendons and ligaments Provides strong attachments
40
What tissue type is Irregular connective tissue? What is the structure, location and function of it?
CT Proper, dense Collagen IRREGULARLY arranged with a few fibroblasts Often occurs in reticular (deeper) region of dermis of skin, the heart, bone, cartilage, joint and, membrane capsules, kidneys, liver, testes, lymph nodes Provides strong tensile strength
41
What tissue type is Elastic connective tissue? What is the structure, location and function of it?
Proper Dense Elastic fibres with fibroblasts in between them Lung tissue, walls of elastic arteries, trachea, bronchial tubes, vocal cords Allows for stretching as it can recoil to original shape
42
What are the subtypes of Supporting CT? What are the differences?
``` Cartilage = solid rubbery matrix Bone = solid crystalline matrix ```
43
What tissue type is Hyaline cartilage? What is the structure, location and function of it?
Supporting connective tissue, Cartilage It is a gel (no structure) Most common cartilage in the body, found at the end on bones, trachea, nose etc. Creates a smooth surface for bones to slide over
44
What tissue type is Osseous cartilage? What is the structure, location and function of it?
Supporting CT, bone Made of osteons (haversian system), consists of thin columns called trabeculae; spaces between trabeculae are filled with red bone marrow Inside the body, Support, protects, stores; houses blood-forming tissue; serves as levers that act with muscle tissue to enable movement.
45
What tissue type is Elastic cartilage? What is the structure, location and function of it?
Supporting, cartilage chondrocytes in threadlike network of elastic fibers Lid on top of larynx (epiglottis), part of external ear (auricle), auditory (eustachian) tubes. Provides strength and elasticity, helping maintain the shape of some structures
46
What tissue type is Blood? What is it made of?
Fluid connective tissue | Made of blood plasma and formed elements
47
What are the formed elements in blood?
Red blood cells, platelets and Leukocytes
48
What is special about a red blood cells organelles? Is it like this in all species?
It doesn't have a nucleus but some other species do
49
What is the purpose of platelets? Where are they made?
Involved in blood clotting, made from megakaryocytic in red marrow
50
What are leukocytes?
White blood cells
51
What are the sub - types of leukocytes?
Granular and Agranular
52
What do leukocytes do?
Combat disease
53
What are erythrocytes? Watch do they do?
Red blood cells, transport O2 and CO2
54
What are the types of granular Leukocytes?
Eosinophils, Basophil, Neutrophils
55
What do eosinophils do?
Protect against parasitic worms and acute allergic responses
56
What do basophil do?
release substances (e.g. histamine) that intensify inflammation response
57
What do neutrophils do?
They are phagocytic cells that engulf bacteria
58
What are the types of agranual leukocytes?
Monocytes/Macrophytes and lymphocytes
59
What are Monocytes and macrophage? What are the difference between them?
They are phagocytic cells that engulf bacteria. Monocytes mature into macrophages
60
What the the two types of lymphocytes? What do they both do?
T and B lymphocytes, both involved in immune response
61
What do B - lymphocytes do?
mature into plasma cells which release anti-bodies
62
How do you tell the difference between T and B lymphocytes?
They have chemical markers that distinguish them (physically identical)
63
What are bones? What does this mean they are made of?
Bones are organs so they are made of several connective tissue types
64
What are the four types of bone cells?
Osteogenic, osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteoclasts
65
What are osteogenic cells? What is their function?
Mesenchymal (lovely organised embryonic) stem cells, start laying down collagen and begin the bone development process
66
What happens to osteogenic cells as they mature?
They turn into osteoblasts
67
What are osteoblasts? What is their function?
Bone forming cells | Lay down more collagen and begins mineralisation of the ECM, forms bone matrix producing material
68
What happens to osteoblasts as the bone matures?
Develop into osteocytes
69
What are osteocytes? What is an important difference between these and osteoblasts? What are their functions?
Matured osteoblasts trapped within ECM They have a reduced metabolic activity which means they produce less new bone material Involved in maintaining bone tissue and nutrient and waste exchange
70
How do osteocytes perform their nutrient and waste exchange role?
Branch out and connect to other osteocytes through little tunnels in the bone and exchange nutrients/waste via gap junctions
71
What are osteoclasts? How are they formed? What is their function?
Large, multinuclear cells Formed from the fusion of blood monocytes Breaks down old/dead/broken bone tissue to reabsorb calcium and other nutrients
72
When do osteoclasts breakdown/reabsorb bone material?
When calcium levels are low or when there is damage to bone material
73
What are the steps, involving the cell types of bone tissue, of fixing a bone? Explain the role of each cell type
1 - Osteoclasts reabsorb dead bone (e.g. debris, dead ends) 2 - Chondroblasts (cells that make cartilage FYI) lay down hyaline cartilage 3 - Osteoblasts make new bone 4 - Osteoclasts remodel new bone
74
Over time, what do osteoclasts do to the bone to further modify it?
Straightens it
75
What is an osteon? How are they arranged in the bone?
The basic unit of compact bone | They are aligned along the lines of stress (e.g. long axis of bone shaft)
76
What are the parts of osteon?
Lamellae, Lacunae, Canaliculi, Central (harversian) canal
77
What are lamellae? What is their function?
Concentric rings of mineral salts, provide hardness
78
What kind of mineral salts are used in lamellae for their hardness and strength?
Calcium phosphate + calcium hydroxide = hydroxyapatite (hardness), collagen (strength)
79
What are lacunae?
Small spaces between lamellae that contains mature bone cells, i.e. osteocytes
80
What are canaliculi? What is their function
Small tunnels to connect the lacunae, the lacunae contain the osteocytes therefore provides the channels for nutrient and waste exchange
81
What is the central (haversian) canal?
The canal that transports the blood and lymphatic vessel and nerves

z:2017 - Biosci107 1/2 (18 decks)

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