Anatomy - Connective Tissue

Front 1

4 types of connective tissue

Back 1

Blood - Hemocytes

Bone - Osteocytes

Cartilage - Chondrocytes

Connective Tissue Proper - Fibroblasts

Front 2

6 types of

Connective Tissues Proper

Back 2

L - Loose areolar

A - Adipose

D - Dense regular

D - Dense irregular

E - Elastic

R - Reticular

Front 3

3 ways we identify connective tissues

Back 3

1) Amount of matrix - obvious

2) Type and arrangement of fibers

3) Abundance and type of cells - hemo, chondro, osteo or fibro.

Front 4

Type and arrangement of fibers

Back 4

3 types: collagen, elastin, reticular.

* Collagen will be found where there’s tensile stress.
* Elastin is where we need rebound.
* Reticular fibers allow for structural stability. Reticular means complex, weblike.

Front 5

Loose Areolar Tissue

Back 5

Matrix: A lot of matrix.

Fibers: Thin elastic. Thicker collagen. Fiber arrangement, random.

Cell type and abundance: Fibrocytes

Where it’s found: This tissue is often under epithelia, also under muscle.
Purpose: Cushions, protects, provides flexibility.

Front 6

Adipose Tissue

Back 6

Matrix: Look like empty cells. Barely see matrix.
Fibers: Don't see fibers.

Cell type and abundance: Adipocytes. We see densely packed groups, filled with triglycerides.
Where it’s found: Under skin, around waist, breasts, butt, around eyes & kidneys.

Purpose: Food energy reserve, supports, protects, insulates, reduces heat loss.

Front 7

Dense Fibrous Tissue

Back 7

Occupied by fibers. Often called collagenous because they are the dominant fiber type. Two types:

1) dense regular

2) dense irregular connective tissue

Front 8

Dense Regular Tissue

Back 8

Types: Tendons, ligaments, aponeuroses, elastic tissue.

Matrix: Little to none.

Fibers: Strands of fibers. Collagen. Has many fibers all lined up in parallel arrangement. Makes up ligaments and tendons. Most tendons work in one plane, hence parallel arrangement.

Cell type and abundance: Dark cells, fibroblasts.

Front 9

Dense Irregular Tissue

Back 9

Matrix: Little to none.

Fibers: Have to be arranged in lots of different angles. Arrangement goes in all directions.

Cell type and abundance: Fibroblasts.

Purpose: strength and support to areas sub- jected to stresses from many directions. The dermis, dense irregular, gives skin its strength

Found: As a sheath around cartilage, perichondrium, and bone, periosteum. Also around many organs.

Front 10

Elastic Connective Tissue

(Dense irregular?)

Back 10

Matrix:

Fibers:

Cell type and abundance:

Purpose: Allows the stretching of various organs, will snap back to shape, walls of large arteries, respiratory tract, vocal cords, the aorta. Permits expansion and contraction of organs

Front 11

Reticular Connective Tissue

Back 11

Matrix:

Fibers: Hard to see because of the cells tightly packed around the framework it provides.

Cell type and abundance: macrophages, fibroblasts, and fibrocytes.

Purpose:

Found in organs that are primarily for filtering. Liver, spleen lymph nodes, thymus, bone marrow. Need rigid stability.

Front 12

Fibroblasts

Back 12

Fixed Cell Type.

Produce connective tissue fibers, collagen, reticular, and elastic.

Front 13

Fibrocytes

Back 13

Fixed Cell Type.

Maintain connective tissue fibers and matrix.

Front 14

Fixed Macrophages

Back 14

Fixed Cell Type.

Phagocytize pathogens and damaged cells.

Front 15

Adipocytes

Back 15

Fixed Cell Type.

Store lipid reserves.

Front 16

Mesenchymal Cells

Back 16

Fixed Cell Type.

Connective tissue stem cells that can differentiate into other cell types.

Front 17

Melanocytes

Back 17

Fixed Cell Type.

Synthesize melanin.

Front 18

Free macrophages

Back 18

Wandering Cell Type

Mobile/traveling phagocytic cells (derived from monocytes of the blood.)

Front 19

Mast Cells

Back 19

Wandering Cell Type

Stimulate local inflammation response.

Front 20

Lymphocytes

Back 20

Wandering Cell Type

Participate in immune response

Front 21

Neutrophils and Eosinophils

Back 21

Wandering Cell Type

Small, phagocytic blood cells that mobilize during infection or tissue injury.

Front 22

Collagen Fibers

Back 22

Long, straight, and unbranched.

Strongest and most common fibers in CT proper. Each fiber consists of three fibrous protein subunits wound to-gether like rope.

Flexible, strong when pulled from either end.

This force is called tension, to resist tension is called tensile strength.

Front 23

Reticular fibers

Back 23

Same protein subunits as collagen fibers, but interact differently.

Thinner, branching, interwoven framework. Tough but flexible. Can resist forces applied from many different directions.

Found in spleen and liver, create a complex 3D network (stroma) that supports the parenchyma (functional cells) of these organs.

Front 24

Elastic Fibers

Back 24

Contain the protein elastin. Branching and wavy, stretch up to 150 percent of their resting length, then recoil. Contain more elastic fibers than collagen. Relatively rare, but much needed, ex: interconnecting adjacent vertebrae

Front 25

Tendon

Back 25

Cords of dense regular connective tissue that attach skeletal muscles to bones and cartilage. Collagen fibers run longitudinal, transfer the pull of the contracting muscle to the bone or cartilage. Large numbers of fibrocytes are found between the collagen fibers.

Front 26

Ligament

Back 26

Connect cartilage to cartilage, bone to cartilage, or one bone to another bone.

Often contain significant numbers of elastic fibers as well as collagen fibers, and they can tolerate a modest amount of stretching.

Elastic ligaments along the vertebral column are very important in stabilizing the vertebrae.

Front 27

Aponeurosis

Back 27

Collagenous sheets or ribbons that resemble flat, broad tendons.

May cover the surface of a muscle and assist in attaching superficial muscles to another muscle or structure.

Front 28

Mesenchyme

Back 28

The first connective tissue to appear in the developing embryo.
Precursor to all other connective tissues, including fluid connective tissues, cartilage, and bone.

Front 29

Cartilage Matrix

Back 29

A firm gel that contains complex polysaccharides called chondroitin sulfates. All nutrient and waste-product exchange must occur by diffusion through the matrix.

Front 30

Chondrocytes

Back 30

Cartilage cells. The only cells found within the cartilage matrix. Live in small chambers known as lacunae.

Front 31

Perichondrium

Back 31

Sets Cartilage usually set apart from surrounding tissues. Contains two distinct layers: an outer, fibrous layer of dense irregular connective tissue and an inner, cellular layer.

Front 32

Hyaline cartilage

Back 32

Most common type of cartilage.
Cell Type - Chondrocytes in lacunae.
Matrix -
Fibers - Closely packed collagen fibers. Tough, somewhat flexible, the weakest type of cartilage.
Found - between ribs and sternum, articular cartilages covering opposing bone surfaces within synovial joints, such as the elbow or knee.

Front 33

Elastic Cartilage

Back 33

Fibers - Elastic, makes it extremely resilient and flexible. Adds support.
Cells - Chondrocytes.
Found in - The external flap (auricle or pinna) of the external ear. In the epiglottis, food comes in, flips epi down. In the auditory tube (airway to middle ear). In the larynx for protection.

Front 34

Fibrocartilage

Back 34

Matrix - has little

Cells - Chondrocytes

Fibers - dominated by collagen.

Found in - Pads in areas of high stress between the spinal vertebrae, between the pubic bones of the pelvis, and around or within a few joints and tendons. Resists compression, absorbs shocks, and prevents damaging bone-to-bone contact. Heals slowly.