Connective Tissue

Structural components of connective tissue

Cells, Protein fibers, ground substance

Cells in cartilage

Chondroblasts, chondrocytes, and fibroblasts

Protein fibers in connective tissue

Collagen fibers, elastin fibers, reticular fiber.

Characteristics of dense regular collagenous connective tissue

Collagen is aligned parallel to applied force, poor blood supply and slow to heal.

2 types of bone

Compact and spongy

Characteristics of elastic cartilage

Elastin fibers in extracellular matrix surrounded by perichondrium, ability to bend and snap back.

Location of fibrocartilage

Intervertebral discs, pubic symphysis, and menisci of the knee joint.

Characteristics of fibrocartilage

Lacks perichondrium, very durable, good shock absorber, contains dense collagen fibers in extracellular matrix.

Cartilage

Secretes gel-like extracellular matrix, may contain collagen or elastic, avascular, heals slowly.

Location of reticular connective tissue

Spleen, lymph nodes, and bone marrow.

Elastin fibers

Thin, stretchy fibers.

Classification of connective tissue

3 broad categories

Components of adipose connective tissue

Adipocytes, few fibroblasts, very few collagen

Location of dense elastic connective tissue

Vocal cords, large and medium arteries

Plasma

Watery ground substance containing proteins and other substances.

Fluid connective tissue

Blood

3 categories of connective tissue classification

Connective tissue proper, supporting connective tissue, and fluid connective tissue

Location of elastic cartilage

Epiglottis and external ear.

3 types of cartilage

Hyaline cartilage, fibrocartilage, elastic cartilage.

Spongy bone

Interior of a bone

Connective tissue proper

Loose connective tissue and dense connective tissue.

Dense connective tissue

More protein fibers and less ground substance .

Characteristics of dense elastic connective tissue

Strong with some stretch

Location of dense regular collagenous connective tissue

Tendons, ligaments.

Leukocytes

White blood cells

3 types of loose connective tissue

Areolar, adipose, and reticular

Function of platelets

Blood clotting,

Supporting connective tissue

Bone and cartilage

Osteocytes

Bone cells

Characteristics of bone

Bone salts provide extreme strength, collagen provides micro-flexibility, highly vascular, heals quickly.

Functions of areolar connective tissue

Can be distorted without damage, provides cushion, protection, loose attachment.

Function of erythrocytes

Carry oxygen and carbon dioxide

Chondrocytes

Cartilage cells, located in lacunae

Location of dense irregular collagenous connective tissue

Deep portion of skin (dermis), surrounding bone and cartilage.

Function of leukocytes

Defense and immunity

3 types of dense connective tissue

Dense regular collagenous connective tissue Dense irregular collagenous connective tissue, and dense elastic connective tissue.

Connective tissue

Diverse, abundant, widely distributed, often deep to epithelial tissue, connects structures to each other, considered glue and filler of body. More extracellular matrix with fewer cells. Derived from mesenchyme.

Components of blood

Erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets, and plasma

Adipose connective tissue

Fat tissue

Location of hyaline cartilage .

Fetal skeleton, end of bones, trachea, larynx, and nose

Loose connective tissue

Fewer protein fibers and more ground substance, packing material, 3 main types.

Fibrocytes

Fiber cells

Reticular fibers

Fibers that form a mesh-work like frame.

Cells

Fibroblasts, chondroblasts, osteoblasts, fibrocytes, chondrocytes, osteocytes

Components of dense regular collagenous connective tissue

Fibroblasts, collagen fibers arranged parallel to each other

Components of dense irregular collagenous connective tissue

Fibroblasts, collagen fibers running in many directions

Components of dense elastic connective tissue

Fibroblasts, collagen, and elastin

Components of areolar connective tissue

Fibroblasts, collagen, and elastin.

Components of reticular connective tissue

Fibroblasts, reticular fibers, and leukocytes

Function of hyaline cartilage

Forms fetal skeleton, covers ends of bones, support, reduces friction.

Compact bone

Forms hard outer shell of bones

Characteristics of dense irregular collagenous connective tissue

Has collagen fibers running many different directions.

Osteoblasts

Immature or embryonic bone cells

Chondroblasts

Immature or embryonic cartilage cells, secrete extracellular matrix

Fibroblasts

Immature or embryonic fiber cells

Location of areolar connective tissue

In skin, surrounding nerves and blood vessels.

Characteristics of hyaline Cartilage

Most common type of cartilage, weakest type, collagen found in extracellular matrix, surrounded by perichondrium.

Components of bone

Osteoblasts, osteocytes, collagen fibers, bone salts.

Function of reticular connective tissue

Packing material, support with lots of space.

Functions of connective tissue

Physical protection, support and structural framework, binding of structures, storage, transport, and immune protection.

Extracellular matrix

Protein fibers and ground substance combined, produced by cells.

Function of adipose tissue

Provides padding, insulation, and energy storage.

Erythrocytes

Red blood cells

Function of dense regular collagenous connective tissue

Resist stress applied in a single direction.

Function of dense irregular collagenous connective tissue

Resists stress in multiple directions, lends strength to skin, surrounds bone and cartilage.

Collagen fibers

Strong, flexible fibers resistant to stretch. 25% of all protein in the body. Most abundant protein.