NEW STUDY

Connective tissue

Supports, connects, protects, stores, and transports materials in the body.

Extracellular matrix

Material surrounding connective tissue cells; made of ground substance and protein fibers.

Ground substance

Material that fills the spaces between connective tissue cells and fibers.

Collagen fibers

Strong protein fibers that resist pulling and provide strength.

Reticular fibers

Thin branching protein fibers that form a supporting network or framework.

Elastic fibers

Protein fibers that allow tissue to stretch and return to its original shape.

Connective tissue proper

Category of connective tissue that includes loose and dense connective tissue.

Loose connective tissue

Connective tissue with loosely arranged fibers; includes areolar, adipose, and reticular tissue.

Dense connective tissue

Connective tissue with densely packed fibers that provides strength; includes dense regular and dense elastic tissue.

Fluid connective tissue

Connective tissue with a liquid matrix; blood is the main example.

Supporting connective tissue

Connective tissue that provides strong structural support; includes cartilage and bone.

Fibroblast

Connective tissue cell that produces fibers and extracellular matrix. Remember: BLAST = BUILD.

Fibrocyte

Connective tissue cell that maintains the extracellular matrix.

Adipocyte

Fat cell that stores energy and provides insulation and cushioning.

Macrophage

Connective tissue cell that performs phagocytosis by engulfing pathogens and cellular debris.

Mast cell

Connective tissue cell that releases histamine during inflammation and allergic responses.

Lymphocyte

Immune cell involved in defending the body against pathogens.

Plasma cell

Immune cell that produces antibodies.

Areolar connective tissue

Loose connective tissue that cushions and fills spaces around organs, nerves, and blood vessels; found underneath epithelial tissue. On a slide, look for loose messy fibers and open spaces.

Adipose connective tissue

Loose connective tissue that stores fat, insulates the body, and cushions organs. On a slide, look for large empty-looking fat cells or bubbles.

Reticular connective tissue

Loose connective tissue that forms a supporting network in lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow. On a slide, look for a branching net of fibers.

Dense regular connective tissue

Dense connective tissue with parallel collagen fibers that resists pulling in one direction; found in tendons and ligaments. On a slide, look for parallel wavy fibers.

Tendon

Dense regular connective tissue that connects muscle to bone.

Ligament

Dense regular connective tissue that connects bone to bone.

Dense elastic connective tissue

Dense connective tissue containing many elastic fibers that allows stretch and recoil; found in the walls of some large arteries.

Fascia

Connective tissue that wraps around, supports, and separates muscles, organs, and other body structures.

Deep fascia

Strong connective tissue that surrounds and separates muscles and other structures.

Blood

Fluid connective tissue that transports substances throughout the body; its extracellular matrix is plasma.

Plasma

The liquid extracellular matrix of blood.

Erythrocyte (red blood cell)

Blood cell that transports oxygen.

Leukocyte (white blood cell)

Blood cell that helps defend the body against infection.

Platelets

Small cell fragments that help blood clot.

Cartilage

Supporting connective tissue that is strong but more flexible than bone.

Chondrocyte

Mature cartilage cell found inside a lacuna.

Lacuna

Small space in the matrix that contains a chondrocyte in cartilage or an osteocyte in bone.

Hyaline cartilage

Most common cartilage; provides smooth support and reduces friction at joints. Found at ends of bones, nose, ribs, and respiratory structures. On a slide, look for lacunae in a smooth/glassy matrix.

Elastic cartilage

Flexible cartilage that stretches and recoils; found in the external ear and epiglottis. On a slide, look for lacunae surrounded by visible elastic fibers.

Fibrocartilage

Tough cartilage that absorbs shock and resists compression; found in intervertebral discs and knee menisci. On a slide, look for lacunae between thick collagen fibers.

Bone

Hard supporting connective tissue that provides support and protection and stores minerals.

Osteocyte

Mature bone cell found inside a lacuna.

Osteon

Cylindrical structural unit of compact bone that looks like a circular target or tree rings on a microscope slide.

Central canal

Opening in the center of an osteon that contains blood vessels and nerves.

Canaliculi

Tiny channels that connect lacunae in bone.

Periosteum

Connective tissue covering the outer surface of most bones.

Skeletal muscle

Striated voluntary muscle mainly attached to bones; moves the skeleton. On a slide, look for long, straight, parallel fibers with striations and multiple nuclei.

Cardiac muscle

Striated involuntary muscle found only in the heart; pumps blood. On a slide, look for branching striated cells and intercalated discs.

Smooth muscle

Nonstriated involuntary muscle found in walls of hollow organs such as the intestines, bladder, and blood vessels. On a slide, look for spindle-shaped cells with no striations.

Striation

Visible stripe-like pattern found in skeletal and cardiac muscle.

Voluntary muscle

Muscle that can be consciously controlled; skeletal muscle is voluntary.

Involuntary muscle

Muscle that works without conscious control; cardiac and smooth muscles are involuntary.