Connective Tissues

Question 1

What are the three main types of connective tissue?

Answer 1

Connective tissue proper, fluid connective tissue, and supportive connective tissue.

Question 2

What components make up all connective tissue?

Answer 2

Specialized cells, matrix (protein fibers, and ground substance).

Question 3

What are the primary functions of connective tissue?

Answer 3

Support and bind other tissues, protect organs, store energy, transport fluids, and provide immune defense.

• connect epithelium to the rest of the body (basal lamina)
• provide structure (bone)
• store energy (fat)
• transport minerals (blood)
• Have no contact with the external environmnet.

Question 4

What is the role of fibroblasts?

Answer 4

Secrete proteins and hyaluronan to maintain the extracellular matrix.

Question 5

What do fibrocytes do in connective tissue?

Answer 5

Maintain connective tissue fibers.

Question 6

What are mesenchymal cells in connective tissue?

Answer 6

Stem cells that respond to injury by differentiating into other connective tissue cells.

Question 7

What are adipocytes?

Answer 7

Fat cells that store energy.

Question 8

Name two immune-related connective tissue cells.

Answer 8

Macrophages and mast cells.

Question 9

What are the three types of protein fibers in connective tissue proper?

Answer 9

Collagen, reticular, and elastic fibers.

Question 10

What is the structure and function of collagen fibers?

Answer 10

Provide strength and resist stretching (e.g., tendons and ligaments).
- long, straight, and flexible

Question 11

What are reticular fibers known for? + structure

Answer 11

Form a supportive stroma that stabilizes cells in organs like the liver and spleen.
- contain the same protein subunits as collagen fibres but are arranged differently
- thin long and interwoven allowing for strength and flexibility.

Question 12

What is the function of elastic fibers? + structure

Answer 12

Allow tissues to stretch and recoil (e.g., in blood vessels).
- comprised of the protein elastin

Question 13

What are the three types of loose connective tissue and what is the role of loose connective tissue?

Answer 13

• Areolar, adipose, and reticular.
• The packing materials of the body filling spaces between organs
• cushion and stabilise cells in organs and support epithelia

Question 14

What is the structure and function of areolar tissue?

Answer 14

Cushions organs, holds tissue fluid, supports capillaries and underlies epithelial tissues.
- least specialised
- open framwork, loosley organised
- viscous ground substance
- elastic fibres

Question 15

What is the structure and main function of adipose tissue?

Answer 15

• Energy storage, insulation, and padding.
• contains many adipocytes (fat cells) and mesenchymal cells which divide and differentiate to produce more fat cells when more storage is needed but cells shrink when fat is lost.

Question 16

Where is reticular tissue found and what is its function?

Answer 16

Found in spleen, liver, and lymph nodes; supports soft tissue organs.
- provides support
- complex, three dimensional network
- contains supportive fibres (stroma) and supports functional cells (parenchyma)

Question 17

What are the three types of dense connective tissue?

Answer 17

Dense regular, dense irregular, and elastic tissue.

Question 18

Where is dense regular connective tissue found and what is its role? + structure

Answer 18

Tendons and ligaments; provides strong, directional tensile strength.
- tightly pakced, paralle collagen fibres
- tendons attatch muscles to bones
- ligaments connect bone to bone whilst crossing a joint
- aponeuroses attatch in sheets to large, flat muscles

Question 19

What is dense irregular connective tissue and where is it found? + structure

Answer 19

Collagen fibers in various directions; found in skin, organ capsules, and periosteum.
- interwoven networks of collagen fibres
- layered in skin, arount cartilages, around bones, from capsules around some organs, and strengthen and support in multiple directions due to flexibility and fibure structure.

Question 20

What is the function of elastic tissue? + structure

Answer 20

Allows for expansion and recoil (e.g., spinal ligaments and blood vessel walls).
- made of elastic fibres
- allows tissue to tolerate cycles of expansion and recoil

Question 21

What are the two types of fluid connective tissue?

Answer 21

Blood and lymph.

Question 22

What are the components of blood?

Answer 22

Plasma and formed elements (RBCs, WBCs, platelets).

Question 23

What is the role of lymph?

Answer 23

Returns interstitial fluid to the bloodstream and participates in immune responses.

Question 24

What are the two types of supportive connective tissue?

Answer 24

Cartilage and bone.

Question 25

What are the three types of cartilage?

Answer 25

Hyaline, elastic, and fibrocartilage.

Question 26

What are key features of hyaline cartilage?

Answer 26

Provides flexible support; found in joints and respiratory passages.

Question 27

What is unique about elastic cartilage?

Answer 27

Contains elastic fibers; highly flexible (e.g., external ear).

Question 28

Where is fibrocartilage found and what is its function?

Answer 28

Intervertebral discs; resists compression and tension.

Question 29

What are the properties of bone (osseous tissue)?

Answer 29

Calcified matrix with collagen; strong, rigid, and shatter-resistant.

Question 30

What two tissues make up membranes?

Answer 30

Epithelial and connective tissue.

Question 31

What are the four types of body membranes?

Answer 31

Mucous, serous, cutaneous, and synovial membranes.

Question 32

What is the function of mucous membranes? + what tissue?

Answer 32

Line passages to the exterior; moist to aid secretion/absorption. - digestive, respiratory, urinary, and reproductive tracts - epithelial surfaces must be moist to reduce friction and facilitate absorption and excretion - connective tissue component is areolar tissue (lamina propria).

Question 33

What is the role of serous membranes?

Answer 33

Line internal cavities; produce transudate to reduce friction. - have a parietal protion covering the cavity - have a serosa covering the organs

Question 34

What makes the cutaneous membrane unique?

Answer 34

It's thick, waterproof, and dry—it's your skin.

Question 35

What is the function of synovial membranes?

Answer 35

Line joint cavities and produce synovial fluid for lubrication. - lack a true epithelium

Question 36

What are fibroblasts in connective tissue proper?

Answer 36

- Secrete proteins and hyaluronan (cellular cement).

Question 37

What are the role of melanocytes, macrophages, mast cells, lymphocytes, and microphages (neutrophils and eosinophils) in connective tissue proper?

Answer 37

melanocytes: produce melanin and can affect immune responses macrophages: enguld and destroy bacteria mast cells: release histamine and are involved in tissue repair lynmphocyte: immune system microphages: engluf waster and bacteria in the extracellular environment - neutrophils and eosinophils are associated in the blood.

Question 38

Structure and function of ground substance.

Answer 38

- in the ground substance are proteoglycans (proteins with sugar attatched) and glycoporteins (proteins with glycogen attatched) - fills spaces between cels and surrounds fibres - impedes passage of pathogens due to viscosity

Question 39

What is fascia and what are the three types?

Answer 39

- connective tissue layers that support 'trunk' organs connecting them to the rest of the body - superficial fascia - layer of alveolar and adipose tissue underlying the skin - deep fascia - dense regular connective tissue, found in capsules that surround organse - subserous fascia - areolar tissue that lies between the deep fascia and serous membranes

Question 40

What are the fluid elements of connective tissues (extracellular)

Answer 40

- plasma - interstitial fluid - lymph

Question 41

Sturcture and function of muscle tissue + its three different types.

Answer 41

- specialised for contraction - produces all body movement - three types of muscle tissue: - skeletal - smooth - cardiac

Question 42

Structure and function of neural tissue.

Answer 42

- specialised for conducting electrical impulses - rapidly sense internal or external envrionment - processes information and controls responses

Question 43

Would a bone or cartailage injury heal faster - why?

Answer 43

- bone - bone has a blood supply whereas cartailage doesn't.

Question 44

What are the differences between the functions of 4 tissue membranes? (simple)

Answer 44

- cutaneous: offers a great amount of protection due to its thick layer of stratified squamous epithelium. Its located on the skin - serous: lines all internal closed body cavities (i.e., lungs) to prevent abrasion in internal structures - mucous: lines external body cavities such as the nasal cavity and produces mucous for protection (catches pathogens), and for increased absorption and secretion - synovial: lines joints and produces the lubricant - synovial fluid. Primary role is to allow for smooth movement of the joints.

Question 45

What are the differences in structure between the 4 tissue membranes?

Answer 45

- cutaneous: areolar and adipose connective tissue, stratified squamous and sometimes pseudo stratified cuboidal epithelium. - serous: areolar connective tissue, simple squamous epithelial tissue - mucous: areolar connective tissue, stratified squamous or simple columnar epithelium - synovial: areolar connective tissue and lack a true epithelia

Question 46

What are the functional differences between loose connective tissue and dense connective tissue?

Answer 46

- Loose connective tissue provides, cushioning, support, and a material for diffusion - Dense connective tissue provide strong connections that provide a resistance to stretching