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Connective tissues proper Flashcards

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1
Q

define connective tissue

A

tissue that connects, support, binds or separates other tissues or organs, typically having relatively few cells embedded in an amorphous matrix, often with collagen or other fibres

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2
Q

components of connective tissue

A
  • cells mainly mature fibroblasts/fibrocytes, fixed adipocytes, reticular cells, melanocytes, mast cells, mesenchymal stem cells
  • fibres collagens, elastin, reticular fibres
  • ground substance proteoglycans, glucosaminoglycans
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3
Q

functions of connective tissue

A
  • binding and supporting holding skin, gut, lungs, bones etc. together
  • protection eg. bone protecting vital organs, fat as shock-absorber
  • insulation eg. fat underlying skin
  • storing reserve fuel and cells eg. bone marrow and fat tissue
  • transporting substances within body eg. blood and interstitium
  • separation of tissues eg. fascia and tendons/cartilage
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4
Q

what is the interstitium

A

space between tissues and organs of the body

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5
Q

types of connective tissue proper

A

loose connective tissue
- areolar

dense connective tissue
- regular
- irregular

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6
Q

structure of loose connective tissue (areolar)

A

contains multiple cell types
- fibroblasts, macrophages, white blood cells, mast cells, adipocytes

contains two main fibres
- collagenous
- elastic

gel-like ground substance
- proteoglycans, hyaluronic acid

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7
Q

functions of loose connective tissue (areolar tissue)

A
  • holds vessels that supply fluids
  • permits cell migration
  • involved in inflammation pathways
  • acts as packaging around organs
  • generally hold everything in place
  • cushions and stabilises organs
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8
Q

where is loose connective tissue found

A
  • under epithelial cell layers
  • around glands
  • surrounds capillaries, nerves and sinusoids
  • areas where bacteria/viruses that have breached the epithelial surface can be attacked and destroyed by the large number of immune cells present in the highly viscous loose connective tissue
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9
Q

histology of loose connective tissue

A
  • adipocyte large white droplet
  • mast cells large and darkly stained
  • collagen fibres thick strands
  • elastin fibres thin strands
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9
Q

function of fibroblasts

A
  • synthesise and secrete the fibres lying within ground substance (extracellular matrix)
  • important in wound healing process and responsible for formation of scar tissue
  • myofibroblasts contain actin and myosin and responsible for wound contraction when tissue loss has occurred
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10
Q

function of macrophages

A
  • derived from blood monocytes and move into loose connective tissue when there’s local inflammation
  • phagocytic so degrade foreign organisms and cell debris
  • professional antigen presenting cells
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11
Q

function of mast cells

A
  • look like basophils
  • contain abundant granules including histamine (inceases blood vessel wall permeability), heparin (anticoaguant), cytokines (attract eosinophils and neutrophils)
  • found in areolar connective tissue near blood vessels
  • absent from CNS to avoid damging effects of oedema
  • become coated with IgE molecules that bind allergens causing contents of granules to be released from cell
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12
Q

what are unilocular adipocytes (white)

A
  • single enormous lipid droplet with nucleus, cytoplasm and organelles squeezed to one side of cell
  • function is padding and shock absorber, insulation and energy reserve
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13
Q

what are multilocular adipocytes (brown)

A
  • multiple small lipid droplets with nucleus, cytoplasm and organelles squeezed to centre of cell
  • very few in adults
  • function is to provide insulation and energy reserves
  • main method of generating heat in neonates through non-shivering thermogenesis
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14
Q

white VS brown adipose tissue

A

white
- single lipid droplet
- normal number of mitochondria
- single peripheral nucleus
- lipid breakdown slow in adults so heat generated by shivering reflex

white
- multiple lipid droplets
- increased number of mitochondria
- single central nucleus
- lipid breakdown accelerated in young children so oxidative phosphorylation uncoupled to generate heat

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15
Q

what are adipose cells generated from

A
  • immature fibroblasts
  • mesenchymal cells
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16
Q

fibres of connective tissue

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A
  • collagen flexible with high tenisle strength
  • reticular/reticulin supporting framework/sponge
  • elastic allows tissues to recoil after stretch or distension
17
Q

what is extracellular matrix

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A

complex extracellular structural network consisting of ground substance and fibres

18
Q

types of collagen

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A

type I
- most widely distributed type ~90%
- fibrils aggregate into fibres and fibre bundles eg. in tendons, skin dermis

type II
- fibrils do not form fibres
- in hyaline and elastic cartilage

type III (reticulin)
- fibrils form fibres around muscle and nerve cells and within lymphatic tissues and organs and tendons

type IV
- unique form present in basement membrane
- binds to proteoglycans

19
Q

examples of loose connective tissue

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A
  • superficial fascia
  • submucosa of colon
20
Q

what is ground substance

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A
  • viscous, clear substance with a slippery feel
  • high water content
  • composed of proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans and glycoproteins
21
Q

what are proteoglycans

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A
  • large macromolecules consisting of a core protein to which glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are covalently bonded
  • GAGs attract water and form a gel that permits diffusion but resists compression
  • core proteins attached to the hyaluronate
  • sugar moieties attract water but make ground substance sticky and slippery at same time
22
Q

what is hyaluronic acid

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A

unique GAG that’s bound to proteoglycans by a link protein to form giant hydrophilic macromolecules that resist compression without inhibiting flexibility so main GAG in cartilage

23
Q

mucoid connective tissue

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A
  • cell: immature fibroblasts
  • fibres: thin collagen III fibres
  • main component: jelly-like ground substance - hyaluronic acid
24
where is mucoid connective tissue found
- umbilical cord - vitreous humour of eye
25
how is collagen formed
- **fibroblasts** secrete **procollagen** which is converted to **collagen** molecules outside the cell and aggregated to from final **collagen fibrils** - fibrils can group together to form **collagen fibres** that provide strength to the tissue eg. tendons, ligaments
26
what are reticular fibres
- type of fibre composed of **type III collagen** secreted by reticular cells - crosslink to form **reticulin** which acts as supporting mesh in soft tissues
27
what are elastin fibres
- **elastin** is the primary component which enfolds and is surrounded by microfibrils called **fibrillin** - occurs in most connective tissues but to **varying degrees** - allows tissues to **recoil** after stretch or distension - important in **artery walls, dermis, lungs, elastic cartilage**
28
structure of dense connective tissue
- few cell types - mostly **fibroblasts** - many **collagen** fibres - **little ground substance**
29
two types of dense connective tissue
**regular** - collagen fibres arranged in **parallel** bundles and densely packed - fibroblasts between bundles - designed to withstand stress in a **single direction** - **tendons, ligaments, aponeuroses** **irregular** - collagen fibres arranged in bundles orientated in **various directions** - fibroblasts between bundles - designed to withstand stress in **multiple directions** - **submucosa of intestine, deep layers of dermis**
30
examples of dense regular connective tissue
**tendon** connects muscle to bone - **cylindrical mass** of connective tissue at end of muscle - collagen bundles in **parallel**, densely packed formation in line with **tensile force** exerted by muscle - rows of **elongated flattened fibroblasts** between the collagen bundles so muscles can exert force onto bone and cause movement **ligament** connects bone to bone - collagen bundles densely packed in **parallel** arrangement - not straight but **undulate** and arranged in **fascicles** that are separated by loose connective tissue **aponeuroses** cover large areas of body and provide structural support - **flat sheet** of regular connective tissue with bundles of fibres in one layer arranged at **90 degrees** to those in adjacent layers - **tendon flattened** into thin broad sheath
31
example of dense irregular connective tissue
**dermis** underlying epidermis of skin - collagen bundles **densely** packed but irregularly arranged and orientated in **multiple directions** - skin can **resist forces** in multiple directions to prevent tearing - **elastic fibres** allow stretch and restoration to original shape after skin bent or folded
32
types of fascia
- superficial - deep - visceral/parietal
33
what is fascia
- made up of **fibrous (dense) connective tissue** containing closely packed bundles of **collagen fibres** oriented in a **wavy** pattern **parallel** to direction of pull - fascia is **flexible** and able to resist great **unidirectional tension forces** until wavy pattern of fibres has been straightened out by pulling force - collagen fibres produced by **fibroblasts** within fascia
34
why is vitamin C needed for collagen formation
vitamin C **hydroxylates proline and lysine** which helps form **procollagen** inside cell which can be oackaged, released and modified into collagen outside of cell
35
what is scurvy
**vitamin C deficiency** - synthesis of abnormal collagen that lacks usual strength - poor wound healing and impaired bone formation
36
symptoms and signs of scurvy
- gum disease and tooth loss - bruising of skin - hair loss - bleeding - poor wound healing - weakness and fatigue - impaired bone development in young
37
what is Marfan's syndrome
- autosomal dominant disorder - mutation in **fibrillin 1 gene** so elastic tissue is abnormal
38
signs of Marfan's syndrome
- abnormally tall - arachnodactyly - frequent joint dislocation - greater span than length - risk of catastrophic aortic rupture
39
what is osteogenesis imperfecta ("brittle bone disease")
- autosomal dominant disease - due to **mutated collagen fibres** and/or **not enough collagen produced**
40
signs of osteogenesis imperfecta
- weakened bones (fractures common) - short stature - blue sclera - hearing loss - hypermobility (loose joints) - flat or arched feet - poor teeth development
41
what is Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- collagen fibre abnormalities of dermis and tendons - presents as joint dislocations and skin deformation

Body logistics (20 decks)

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