Study Guide

Extra Notes

Connective Tissue: (Loose, Dense, Cartilage, Bone, Blood)

-Most abundant tissue in your body

-Is made up of 3 basic components

1. Cells (Ex: fibroblasts, macrophage cells, adipocytes, osteocytes, chondrocytes, etc.)

-scattered within the matrix (matrix is ground substance + fibers)

2. Ground Substance (Hyaluronic acid, chondroitin)

-fluid or semi-fluid

-secreted by cells and fills in the space between cells and fibers. This helps make the connective tissue what it is.

3. Fibers (Collagen, Elastin, Reticular)

Loose Connective Tissue: (fibers are “loosely” connected)

-most matrix under microscope looks like empty space

- Fibroblast (produce extracellular fibers)

-Elastin (thin strands), Collagen (thicker strands), Reticular fibers (short curly strands)

Adipose Tissue (fat):

-little circles under microscope

-lots of cells, not much ground substance

-cells are large so they can store triglycerides to give us energy

Dense Regular: (Tendons, Ligaments)

- Collagen fibers densely packed and help resist forces

-Fibers arranged in parallel lines

-avascular (not a good blood supply) so they heal slowly

-nutrients and other molecules have to diffuse to it

Dense Irregular:

-Densely packed collagen fibers in all directions (think skin- it gets pulled in many different directions)

-Design allows the tissue to resist tension pulling from all directions

- Location: joint capsules, dermis of skin, and in hollow organs of digestive tract

***What is the difference between fibroblast and chondroblast?***

Fibroblasts are responsible for synthesizing extracellular matrix components, - ground substances and collagen. Chondroblasts are responsible for synthesis of cartilage.

Cartilage (Hyaline, Elastic, Fibrocartilage)

- Chondrocytes (Chondro-cartilage; cytes- cells)

-Chondrocytes (cartilage cells) are found in lacuna (clear open space around cell) of the matrix

-Chondroblasts: are cartilage...