8. Ground substance of connective tissue. Structural, chemical and functional characteristics.

The ground substance in connective tissue is an __________ gel-like substance produced by fibroblasts.

amorphous

Ground substance surrounds the __________ between the fibres and cells.

spaces

Ground substance is mainly __________, making up to 90% of the extracellular matrix.

water

Glycosaminoglycans link together to form __________, which are very good at absorbing water.

proteoglycans

Glycosaminoglycans are polysaccharides that retain __________.

water

Proteoglycans and glycoproteins are __________ complexes that regulate the movement of molecules through the extracellular matrix.

carbohydrate

Metachromasia is a property of ground substance in which a change in tissue __________ is produced by the same stain.

color

Ground substance is optically __________, meaning they are of the same kind.

homogenous

The term __________ refers to the tendency of blood and tissues to absorb fluid.

hydrophilia

what is the ground substance like in CT?

• amorphous gel-like substance made by fibroblasts

• surrounds the space between fibres and cells

• doesn’t have collagen and elastic fibres but contains the remaining components of the extracellular matrix

• mainly water

• has glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans, glycoproteins

what do glycosaminoglycans do?

can link together and form proteoglycans which are good at absorbing water so much so that 90% of the extracellular matrix is made of water

• extracellular matrix can : resist compressive forces, retain high amounts of water

describe glycosaminoglycans

• polysaccharide that retain water

• negatively charged molecules so they can attract positively-charged Na+ and K+ which are able to bring in water

what are proteoglycans and glycoproteins for?

carbohydrate complexes that regulate the movement of molecules though the extracellular matrix

metachromasia

property of ground substance where change in tissue colour produced by the same stain

properties of ground substance and explain

metachromasia - change in tissue colour produced by the same stain

optically homogenous - are of the same kind

hydrophilia - the tendency of the blood and tissues to absorb fluid