Lecture 3: Connective Tissue Flashcards
(120 cards)
What the connective tissue does?
- binds, supports, strengthens other body tissues
- transport system of body (blood is a CT)
- stored energy reserves (fat/adipose tissue is a CT)
Differences between Epithelium and CT
CT not on body surface
CT highly vascular (except cartilage and tendons)
Similarity between epithelium and CT
CT supplied by nerves (except cartilage)
What CT is composed of
- Extracellular matrix (ECM)
- Cells
CT equation
CT = ECM + Cells
ECM components
- ground substance (GS)
- Protein fibres
ECM equation
ECM = GS + Fibres
What is secreted in cells of ECM
protein fibres
what dictates the qualities of connective tissue?
structure of ECM
Components of the GS
- water
- proteins
- polysaccharides (sugars)
GS equation
GS = H2O + Proteins + polysaccharides
Function of the GS
support + bind cells together
store H2O
medium for exchange of substances between blood + cells
Type of polysaccharides (sugars) in GS?
glycosaminoglycans (GAGS or mucopolysaccharides)
What is formed when GAGS join with core proteins?
proteoglycans
features of GAGS
- long unbranched polysaccharides
- repeating disaccharide unit
what are these examples of
- amino sugar (eg. N acetylglucosamine)
- uronic sugar (eg. glucuronic acid)
- highly polar and attract H2O
disaccharide units that are repeated to form GAGS
sulphated GAG examples
- derma tan sulphate
- heparin sulphate
- keratan sulphate
- chondroitin sulphate
what bind to proteins to form proteoglycans (PGs)
sulphated GAGS (glycosaminoglycans)
non-sulphated GAG examples
- hyaluronic acid
_____ acid is not directly bound to protein backbone but joined to various _____
(hyaluronic) acid is not directly bound to protein backbone but joined to various (proteoglycans)
are glycosaminoglycan hyaluronic acid sulphated or covalently bound to a core protein
NO, glycosaminoglycan hyaluronic acid IS NOT sulphated nor covalently bound to a core protein
What makes the GS more jelly-like
glycosaminoglycans (GAGS) trapping H2O
Function of the hyaluronic acid
- slippery substance binds cells
- lubricates joints
- maintains shape of eyeball
enzyme that breaks apart hyaluronic acid causing hyaluronic acid in GS to become more liquid
hyaluronidase