htmle: intro

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering epithelial glands, connective tissue types, muscle tissue classifications, and functional properties of nervous tissue.

Tendon

Connective tissue structure that connects muscle to bone.

Ligament

Connective tissue structure that connects bone to bone.

Osteocytes

Mature bone cells sitting in cavities called lacunae.

Osteoclast

Bone destroyer cell that removes calcified bone.

Osteoblast

Bone-forming cell responsible for the mineralization and formation of bone.

Endocrine glands

Ductless glands whose secretions (hormones) diffuse directly into the blood vessels that weave through them.

Exocrine glands

Glands that retain their ducts, allowing their secretions to empty through the ducts to the epithelial surface.

Connective tissue

The most abundant tissue in the body; provides a matrix that supports and connects other tissues and cells, with extracellular matrix as its major constituent.

Mesenchyme

Embryonic tissue from which all connective tissue originates.

Fibroblasts

Key cells in connective tissue and the most common cells found in connective tissue proper.

Adipocytes

Fat cells present in connective tissue.

Reticular fibers

Fibrous intercellular substance fibers characterized as argyrophilic or "silver lovers."

Areolar connective tissue

The most widely distributed connective tissue; acts as a universal packing tissue and connective tissue "glue" that helps hold internal organs together.

Dense connective tissue

Connective tissue characterized by an abundance of closely packed fibers, forming strong rope-like structures such as tendons and ligaments.

Myxoid connective tissue

A less commonly encountered connective tissue found in embryonic specimens and in the umbilical cord as Wharton's jelly.

Adipose tissue

Connective tissue that serves as a thermal insulator and acts as a cushion to protect organs.

Cartilage

Tissue consisting of a fairly dense network of collagenic fibers encased in or bonded with an amorphous substance of chondroitin sulfate in a thin gel.

Hyaline cartilage

The most abundant, clear, or glassy cartilage type that serves as a temporary fetal skeleton, covers bone ends, and forms the precursor of bone in the developing skeleton.

Fibrocartilage

Cartilage that resists pulling and tearing forces; found in intervertebral discs, the pubic symphysis, joint capsules, and ligaments.

Elastic cartilage

Cartilage containing elastic fibers that allow it to recoil to its original shape when bent; found in the external ear, epiglottis, laryngeal cartilages, and walls of Eustachian tubes.

Blood

Vascular connective tissue consisting of blood cells surrounded by a nonliving fluid matrix called blood plasma.

Skeletal muscle

Voluntary muscle composed of large, elongated multinucleated cells with peripheral nuclei and cross-striations, innervated by alpha motor neurons.

Cardiac muscle

Involuntary, spontaneously contractile muscle composed of elongated branching cells joined by intercalated discs with cross-striations and typically a single central nucleus.

Smooth muscle

Involuntary muscle consisting of small, fusiform-shaped cells with a single central nucleus, lacking striations, with a myofibril meshwork anchored to dense bodies.

Irritability

The functional characteristic of nervous tissue to detect and respond to a stimulus.

Conductivity

The functional characteristic of nervous tissue to transmit electromechanical impulses from one part of the body to another.