Chapter 5, Lesson 3: Connective Tissue

Flashcards from Chapter 5, Lesson 3 of McGraw Hill Anatomy and Physiology, Ninth Edition, by Kenneth S. Saladin.

Connective tissue

Abundant type of tissue where cells may not be in direct contact; supports, connects, and protects organs with varying avascularity

Functions of connective tissue

• Connecting organs

• Support and movement

• Physical and immune protection

• Heat production

• Internal transport and storage

Fibrous connective tissue

Connective tissue made up of many types of cells; types include loose, dense regular/irregular, areolar, and reticular

Fibroblasts

Fibers in fibrous connective tissue; the ground substance of the matrix

Macrophages

Cells in fibrous connective tissue that phagocytize (eat) foreign material and activate immune system

Leukocytes

White blood cells in fibrous connective tissue; made of up neutrophils and lymphocytes (anti-bacteria, toxins, and foreign agents)

Mast cells

Cells in fibrous connective tissue that secrete substances to inhibit blood clotting and dilate blood cells

Adipocytes

Cells in fibrous connective tissue that store triglycerides, or fat molecules

Collagenous fiber

A fiber in fibrous connective tissue; makes up 25% of the body’s proteins and is tough, flexible, and stretch-resistant to make up tendons, ligaments, and deep skin layers

Reticular fiber

A fiber in fibrous connective tissue; made up of collagen fibers coated with glycoprotein to make up spleen and lymph nodes

Elastic fiber

A fiber in fibrous connective tissue; made up of elastin to allow stretching and recoiling particularly in elastic cartilage in external ears

Proteoglycans

Part of ground substance in fibrous connective tissue made of brush-shaped molecules; holds tissues together with gravy-like colloids

Adhesive glycoproteins

Part of ground substance in fibrous connective tissue made of protein-carbohydrate complexes; binds tissue components

Loose connective tissue

Fibrous connective tissue with gel-like ground substance between cells; includes areolar and reticular loose tissue

Dense connective tissue

Fibrous connective tissue where the fibers fill in space between cells and fiber orientations vary; regular or irregular

Loose areolar tissue

Loose connective tissue with randomly organized fibers and blood vessels; found in epithelium for nutrition and leukocyte supply and forms layers between skin and organs and in between muscles

Loose reticular tissue

Loose connective tissue with mesh of reticular fibers and fibroblasts, supports lymphatic organs and found in spleen and bone marrow

Dense regular connective tissue

Densely packed, parallel collagen fibers with wavy elastic tissue sheets; helps attach muscles and bones with tendons and ligaments

Dense irregular connective tissue

Densely packed, randomly arranged collagen fibers to withstand stresses; found in deeper skin layers and capsules around organs

Adipose tissue

Tissue made of fat cells/vacuoles (adipocytes) with nuclei pushed to sides; stores energy, cushions body and organs, and insulates or produces heat

White fat

The main type of fat in adults; provides thermal insulation and cushioning

Brown fat

The main type of fat in children; provides heat generation and colored by blood vessels

Cartilage

Stiff connective tissue with flexible matrix; gives shape to ear, tip of nose, and larynx—avascularity slows healing

Types include hyaline cartilage, fibrocartilage, and elastic cartilage

Hyaline cartilage

Cartilage with a clear appearance due to fine collagen fibers; eases joint movement, holds airway open, and moves vocal cords—located in trachea, larynx, fetal skeleton

Fibrocartilage

Cartilage with large bundles of collagen fibers; resists compression and absorbs shock in intervertebral discs and meniscus

Bone (osseous) tissue

A type of calcified connective tissue with cells arranged around a central canal

Spongy bone

A porous type of bone covered by compact bone; found in heads of long bones and middle of flat bones

Compact bone

A dense, calcified tissue with no visible space; cylindrical arrangement with canals and vertically oriented blood vessels in central canal

Blood

A type of fluid connective tissue that transports cells and matter from place to place

Plasma

Blood’s ground substance; contains red/white blood cells and platelets and synthesizes antibodies