Connective Tissues

Question 1

Give examples of connective tissues

Answer 1

Bone, cartilage, tendons and ligaments, adipose tissue, mesentery, layers under skin and around organs

Question 2

How is structure related to function?

Answer 2

Diverse structural arrangement depending on location and function of tissue

Question 3

What features define connective tissues?

Answer 3

Ground substance, fibres and cells

Question 4

What makes up the extracellular matrix?

Answer 4

Ground substance and fibres

Question 5

What does the extracellular matrix do?

Answer 5

Provides structural and biochemical support for cells

Question 6

What is the function of ground substance?

Answer 6

provides biochemical support and supports intercellular exchange of substances

Question 7

What is ground substance?

Answer 7

Clear, semi-solid gel composed of glycoproteins and complex carbohydrates (hyaluronic acid and glucosamine)

Question 8

What do fibres do?

Answer 8

Provide structural support and tensile strength

Question 9

What are the two main types of fibres?

Answer 9

Collagen and elastin

Question 10

Describe collagen fibres

Answer 10

Strongest and most abundant, provide tensile strength

Question 11

Describe elastin fibres

Answer 11

Long and branched, provide stretch and recoil ability

Question 12

Where does collagen come from?

Answer 12

It is secreted into the ECM by connective tissue cells

Question 13

What is type 1 collagen?

Answer 13

found in fibrous tissues

Question 14

What is type 2 collagen?

Answer 14

Hyaline cartilage

Question 15

What is type 3 collagen?

Answer 15

delicate branched ‘reticular’ network found in highly cellular organs

Question 16

Where does elastin come from?

Answer 16

It is secreted into the ECM by fibroblasts

Question 17

What does elastin do?

Answer 17

Confers elasticity to tissues

Question 18

Where is elastin found?

Answer 18

Skin, lungs, blood vessels, bladder

Question 19

What do the cells of the connective tissues do?

Answer 19

synthesise, secrete and recycle ECM

Question 20

What do blasts do?

Answer 20

Synthesise ECM

Question 21

What do cytes do?

Answer 21

Maintain ECM

Question 22

What do clasts do?

Answer 22

Breakdown ECM

Question 23

What do fibroblasts do?

Answer 23

secrete fibres and components of ground substance

Question 24

What do chondrocytes do?

Answer 24

secrete and maintain ECM in cartilage

Question 25

What do osteoblasts and osteocytes do?

Answer 25

Secrete and maintain mineralised ECM in bone

Question 26

What do connective tissues contain?

Answer 26

Blood vessels and lymphatics. Immune cells which survey tissues for invading pathogens/cell damage

Question 27

What is connective tissue proper?

Answer 27

loose or dense depending on arrangement of fibres

Question 28

What is skeletal connective tissues?

Answer 28

Cartilage and bone

Question 29

What is fluid connective tissues?

Answer 29

blood and lymph

Question 30

What is loose connective tissues?

Answer 30

Mostly made up of ground substance. Areolar, adipose and reticular

Question 31

What is dense connective tissues?

Answer 31

Mostly made up of fibres. Regular, irregular and elastic

Question 32

What is areolar tissue and where is it found?

Answer 32

Universal packing material which supports and binds other tissues. It is found beneath skin, submucosa and surrounding capillaries

Question 33

What is adipose tissue and where are they found

Answer 33

Function as energy storage, shock absorption and insulation. Found beneath skin, breasts, in abdomen, finger and foot pads.

Question 34

Where are adipocytes found?

Answer 34

In isolation or in small clusters

Question 35

What is reticular tissue and where is it found?

Answer 35

Delicate, branched network providing internal structure to highly cellular organs (liver, lymph nodes, spleen)

Question 36

What is dense regular tissue and where is it found?

Answer 36

closely packed collagen fibres running in the same direction. provides tensile strength and found in tendons and ligaments

Question 37

What is dense irregular tissue and where is it found?

Answer 37

closely packed interwoven fibres running in different directions. found in dermis of skin, forms protective capsule around organs

Question 38

What is elastic dense tissue and where is it found?

Answer 38

allows tissues to recoil after stretching. found in arteries, skin, lungs and underlying transitional epithelium

Question 39

What is scurvy and what are the oral manifestations?

Answer 39

Lack of vitamin C leading to defective collagen formation. Leads to loose teeth, skin haemorrhages and even death

Question 40

What is systemic lupus erythematosis and what are the oral manifestations?

Answer 40

autoimmune disease. target skin, bones, tendons and kidneys. Oral symptoms include dryness and soreness. Oral manifestations include buccal and palatal lesions.

Question 41

What is sjogren's disease and what are the oral manifestations?

Answer 41

autoimmune disease affecting saliva and tear glands. dry eyes and mouth, occur independently of accompany other disorders. Can cause increased dental caries ad candidiasis.