Connective Tissue Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is the function of connective tissue?
Binds, supports and strengthens other tissues. Major transport system (due to blood being a CT) and major site for energy storage (fat and adipose tissue)
what is CT composed of?
ECM + cells
What makes up ECM?
GS + Fibres
Give an example of how ECM structure can affect CT qualities?
Cartilage = ECM firm and rubbery bone = hard and inflexible
Name the 3 different protein fibres
reticular
elastic
collagen
What is GS made up of?
water + protein + sugar (GAGS/polysaccharides/mucopolysaccharides)
What is GAGS? What is proteoglycans?
They join with core proteins to form proteoglycans
Highly polar therefore attract water
Sulphated and non-sulphated
Core protein + GAGS
What are the 4 different sulphated GAGS?
Keratan
Chondroitin
Dermatan
Heparin
Explain Hyaluronic acid
Non-sulphated
Does not bind directly to core protein but to proteoglycans
Trap water to make GS more jelly-like
slippery substance that binds cells, lubricates joints and maintains shape of eyeball
Explain Hyaluronidase
produce by white blood cells, sperm and some bacteria
Makes a substance more liquid make movement easier or easy access for sperm to reach egg
what does abnormal ECM mean?
= Periorbital ECM deposition and thyroid disease (exophthalmos)
Goitre (swollen thyroid)
common in young females
A.I on fibroblasts in ECM of eye
Deposition of GAGS and influx of water increases
Explain collagen
Most abundant protein = 25%
common in bones, cartilgae, ligaments, tendons
very strong but flexible
parallel bundles
Explain reticular fibres
Has collagen w coating of glycoprotein Made by fibroblasts, form by BM forms networks through vessels and tissues (adipose, nerve, smooth muscle) Provide strength and support Thin and branched
Explain Elastic
Thinner than collagen
Fibrous network
Can be stretched 150% without breaking (skin, lung, BV)
protein = elastin surrounded by glycoprotein = fibrillin
What causes Marfam disease? what is the risk?
Mutation on chromosome 15 (fibrillin)
TGFb cannot bind normally to fibrillin
1 in 20,000 live births
What is the difference between the 2 major cell types in CT?
Adipose = stores fat and found under the skin and around organs
Fibroblasts = secrete ECM components and widely distributed
What are the 4 other cell types of CT?
Mast, leucocytes (white blood cells), macrophages (histiocytes), plasma cells
What are the 2 types of classification of CT?
Embryonic and Mature
What are the 2 types of embryonic?
Mesenchyme =
Mucous =
what is the role of macrophages (Histiocytes) in CT? and where can they be located?
They are phagocytic cells in fixed and wandering forms.
Fixed (lung) = Dust cells
Fixed (liver) = Kupffer cells
Fixed (skin) = Langerhans cells
wandering forms = sites of inflammation/site of injury
Where can plasma cells be found in CT? And what is their role?
Come from B-lymphocytes and produce antibodies.
Found in salivary glands, spleen, gut, lung, red bone marrow and lymph nodes
What is the role of Mast cells in CT?
Found alongside blood vessels and produce histamine which dilates blood vessels
What are leucocytes?
white blood cells; ie neutrophils, eosinophils etc
Migrate out of blood
