Human Anatomy and Physiology: Chapter 04 Part B Tissue - The Living Fabric

Flashcards covering Human Anatomy and Physiology, Chapter 04 Part B Tissue: The Living Fabric, including connective tissue, muscle tissue, nervous tissue, covering and lining membranes, and tissue repair.

What are the major functions of connective tissue?

Binding and support, protecting, insulating, storing reserve fuel, and transporting substances (blood).

What are the four main classes of connective tissue?

Connective tissue proper, cartilage, bone, and blood.

What are the three main structural elements found in all connective tissues?

Ground substance, fibers, and cells.

What two elements make up the extracellular matrix in connective tissue?

Ground substance and fibers.

What is ground substance and what is its primary function?

Unstructured gel-like material that fills space between cells, serving as a medium through which solutes diffuse between blood capillaries and cells.

What are the three types of fibers found in connective tissue?

Collagen, elastic, and reticular fibers.

Which type of connective tissue fiber is the strongest and most abundant, providing high tensile strength?

Collagen fibers.

What is the function of 'blast' cells in connective tissue?

They are immature forms of cells that actively secrete ground substance and extracellular matrix (ECM) fibers.

What are 'cyte' cells in connective tissue?

Mature, less active forms of 'blast' cells that maintain the health of the matrix.

What is the primary function of fat cells (adipocytes) in connective tissue?

To store nutrients.

What role do mast cells play in connective tissue?

They initiate a local inflammatory response against foreign microorganisms.

What are the two subclasses of connective tissue proper?

Loose connective tissues and dense connective tissues.

Which type of connective tissue proper is the most widely distributed, supports and binds other tissues, and acts as universal packing material?

Areolar connective tissue.

What is white fat primarily known for?

Nutrient storage, shock absorption, insulation, and energy storage.

What is the primary function of brown fat?

To use lipid fuels to heat the bloodstream rather than producing ATP.

What is the primary function of reticular connective tissue?

Its mesh-like stroma forms a soft internal skeleton that supports blood cells in lymphoid organs, spleen, and bone marrow.

What are the three varieties of dense connective tissue proper?

Dense regular, dense irregular, and elastic.

Which type of dense connective tissue has very high tensile strength and is found in tendons and ligaments?

Dense regular connective tissue.

Where is dense irregular connective tissue commonly found?

In the dermis, fibrous joint capsules, and fibrous coverings of some organs.

Which type of dense connective tissue is found in the walls of large arteries and certain ligaments associated with the vertebral column?

Elastic connective tissue.

What cells secrete the matrix of cartilage, and where are mature cartilage cells found?

Chondroblasts secrete the matrix, and chondrocytes (mature cells) are found in cavities called lacunae.

Is cartilage vascular or avascular?

Avascular, receiving nutrients from the perichondrium.

What are the three types of cartilage?

Hyaline cartilage, elastic cartilage, and fibrocartilage.

Which type of cartilage is the most abundant, appears as shiny bluish glass, and is found at the tips of long bones and in the nose?

Hyaline cartilage.

Where is elastic cartilage primarily found?

In the ears and epiglottis.

Which type of cartilage is strong, absorbs compressive shock, and is found in intervertebral discs and the knee?

Fibrocartilage.

Why do cartilage injuries heal slowly as we age?

Avascular cartilage loses its ability to divide with age.

What are the major functions of bone (osseous tissue)?

Supports and protects body structures, stores fat, and synthesizes blood cells in cavities.

What are the main cell types in bone and their roles?

Osteoblasts produce the matrix, and osteocytes maintain the matrix, residing in lacunae.

Why is blood considered an atypical connective tissue?

It is fluid, consisting of cells surrounded by a fluid matrix (plasma).

What is the main function of blood?

Transporting respiratory gases, nutrients, wastes, and other substances.

What are the three types of muscle tissue?

Skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle.

Which muscle tissue is voluntary, attached to bones, and appears striated with multiple nuclei?

Skeletal muscle tissue.

Which muscle tissue is involuntary, found only in the walls of the heart, and features intercalated discs?

Cardiac muscle tissue.

Which muscle tissue is involuntary, has no visible striations, and is found mainly in the walls of hollow organs (other than the heart)?

Smooth muscle tissue.

What are the two specialized cell types that make up nervous tissue?

Neurons, which generate and conduct nerve impulses, and supporting cells, which support, insulate, and protect neurons.

What are the three types of covering and lining membranes?

Cutaneous membranes, mucous membranes, and serous membranes.

What is another name for the cutaneous membrane and what are its characteristics?

Skin; it is a dry membrane composed of keratinized stratified squamous epithelium attached to a thick layer of connective tissue (dermis).

Which membranes line body cavities open to the exterior (e.g., digestive, respiratory tracts) and are typically moist?

Mucous membranes (mucosae).

Which membranes are found in closed ventral body cavities, composed of a simple squamous epithelium (mesothelium) resting on thin areolar connective tissue?

Serous membranes (serosae).

What are the two major ways tissue repair can occur?

Regeneration, where the same tissue replaces destroyed tissue, restoring original function; and fibrosis, where connective tissue replaces destroyed tissue, and original function is lost.

What is the first step in tissue repair, and what does it involve?

Inflammation, which involves dilation of blood vessels, increased blood vessel permeability, and blood clotting.

What is granulation tissue, and when does it appear during tissue repair?

New capillary-enriched tissue that replaces the blood clot during the organization phase (Step 2) of tissue repair.

Which tissues regenerate extremely well?

Epithelial tissues, bone, areolar connective tissue, dense irregular connective tissue, and blood-forming tissue.

Which tissues have virtually no functional regenerative capacity?

Cardiac muscle and nervous tissue of the brain and spinal cord.

From which primary germ layer does nerve tissue arise?

Ectoderm.

From which primary germ layer do muscle and connective tissues arise?

Mesoderm.

From which primary germ layers do epithelial tissues arise?

All three germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm).