Connective Tissues (A&P)

what is the most diverse tissue type?

connective tissues

what is the only avascular connective tissue?

cartilage

what are the two essential components of connective tissues?

cells and interstitial matrix

what is the interstitial matrix made of?

ground substance and fibers

what are the six functions of connective tissues?

framework, transport, protection, storing energy, defense, interconnection of tissue types

an amorphous substance that fills the spaces between cells and the fibers

ground substance

what are the three things that makeup the ground substance?

MOSTLY water, adhesive proteins, and proteoglycans

consist mainly of fibronectin and cahinin. they act as fastening agents

adhesive proteins in the ground substance

made of a mix of protein and sugar. these love water and are shaped like toilet brushes, attracting water between the projections, called GAGs.

proteoglycans

what are the three kinds of protein fibers that make up the extracelullar matrix

collagen, elastic, and reticular

have great tensile strength, produced by the cells of the connective tissue

collagen fibers

good elasticity and recoil, very resilient

elastic fibers

made of very fine threads of collagen, including branched fibers. they make structural integrity

reticular fibers

what are the four types of cells that make up connective tissues proper?

fibroblasts, macrophages, mast cells, and adipocytes

creates all the fibers of the intracellular matrix.

fibroblasts

what are the four types of "blast" cells?

fibroblasts, chondroblasts, osteoblasts, and hemocytoblasts

these develop from monocyte white blood cells after they mature and become larger. they "eat" bacteria, destroy viruses, clean up cell debris, and destroy self cancer cells

macrophages

what are the two types of macrophages?

free and fixed

these are abundant near blood vessels, releasing histamines which help bring white blood cells to the site of infections.

mast cells

these are cells willed with lipid. they act as an energy reserve and they insulate against heat loss

adipocytes

what are the two kinds of connective tissues proper?

loose and dense

what are the three kinds of loose connective tissues?

areolar, adipose, and reticular

what are the three kinds of dense connective tissues?

regular, irregular, and elastic

the most abundant tissue in the human body

alveolar tissue

what are the four functions of alveolar tissue?

support, holding body fluids, defense, and nutrient storage

these contain a lot of hileuronic acid to make their abundant water supply thicker and less fluid. is used as a filler, like packing peanuts

alevolar tissue

found in the subcutaneous fat layer of the skin

adipose

what are the three types of cartilage?

hyaline, elastic, and fibrocartilage

what are the two types of bone?

dense and spongy

all cartilage and bone cells live inside of hollows called _______

lacunae

which are more elastic: tendons or ligaments?

ligaments

this cartilage covers every freely movable joint in the body

hyaline