Connective Tissue Flashcards

Flashcards from Connective Tissue Lecture Notes

Connective tissue provides a __ that supports and physically connects other tissues and cells together.

matrix

The major constituent of connective tissue is the __.

extracellular matrix (ECM)

Ground substance is a complex of anionic, hydrophilic __, __, and __.

proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), multiadhesive glycoproteins

All connective tissues originate from embryonic __, a tissue developing mainly from the middle layer of the embryo, the __.

mesenchyme, mesoderm

__ are the key cells in connective tissue proper and originate locally from mesenchymal cells.

Fibroblasts

are targets of many families of proteins called that influence cell growth and differentiation.

Fibroblasts, growth factors

__ involved in wound healing have a well-developed contractile function and are enriched with a form of actin also found in smooth muscle cells.

Myofibroblasts

__ also known as fat cells, are found in the connective tissue of many organs.

Adipocytes

__ have highly developed phagocytic ability and specialize in turnover of protein fibers and removal of apoptotic cells and tissue debris.

Macrophages

When macrophages are stimulated, they change their morphologic characteristics and properties, becoming __.

activated macrophages

When adequately stimulated, macrophages may increase in size and fuse to form __.

multinuclear giant cells

__ are oval or irregularly shaped cells of connective tissue filled with basophilic secretory granules.

Mast cells

Mast cell granules display __, which means that they can change the color of some basic dyes from blue to purple or red.

metachromasia

__ includes heparin, histamine, serine proteases, eosinophil and neutrophil chemotactic factors, cytokines, and phospholipid precursors.

Molecules released from mast cells' secretory granules

__ are lymphocyte-derived, antibody-producing cells with basophilic cytoplasm rich in RER and a large Golgi apparatus near the nucleus.

Plasma cells

__ are responsible for the synthesis of immunoglobulin antibodies.

Plasma cells

Three main types of fibers include __, __, and __.

collagen, reticular, elastic

Type __ collagen, the most abundant and widely distributed collagen, forms large, eosinophilic bundles usually called collagen fibers.

I

---------- such as type IV collagen have subunits produced by epithelial cells and are major structural proteins of external laminae and all epithelial basal laminae.

Network or forming collagens

---------- are short collagens that link fibrillar collagens to one another and to other components of the ECM.

Linking/anchoring collagens

__ is a local swelling caused by abnormally large amounts of collagen that form in scars of the skin.

Keloid

Found in delicate connective tissue of many organs, notably in the immune system, __ consist mainly of collagen type III, which forms an extensive network.

reticular fibers

__ are also thinner than the type I collagen fibers and form sparse networks interspersed with collagen bundles in many organs, particularly those subject to regular stretching or bending.

Elastic fibers

__ are a composite of fibrillin, which forms a network of microfibrils, embedded in a larger mass of cross-linked elastin.

Elastic fibers

__ comprise a family of proteins involved in making the scaffolding necessary for the deposition of elastin.

Fibrillins

The ground substance of the ECM is a highly hydrated, transparent, complex mixture of three major kinds of macromolecules: __, __, and __.

glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), proteoglycans, multiadhesive glycoproteins

The largest and most ubiquitous GAG is __.

hyaluronan

The four major GAGs found in proteoglycans are __, __, __, and __.

dermatan sulfate, chondroitin sulfates, keratan sulfate, heparan sulfate

---------- consist of a core protein to which are covalently attached various numbers and combinations of the sulfated GAGs.

Proteoglycans

The ground substance macromolecules, all have multiple binding sites for cell surface integrins and for other matrix macromolecules.

multiadhesive glycoproteins

---------- are integral transmembrane proteins that act as matrix receptors for specific sequences on laminin, fibronectin, some collagens, and certain other ECM proteins.

Integrins

----------is the excessive accumulation of interstitial fluid in connective tissue.

Edema

Connective tissue proper is broadly classified as or , terms that refer to the amount of collagen present.

loose, dense

The best examples of dense regular connective tissue are the very strong and flexible __, cords connecting muscles to bones.

tendons

__ is characterized by abundant fibers of type III collagen forming a delicate network that supports various types of cells.

Reticular tissue

__ connective tissue is the principal component of the fetal umbilical cord, where it is referred to as Wharton’s jelly.

Mucoid