Characteristics of Connective Tissue
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Questions and Answers

What is the main function of plasma cells?

  • To synthesize and secrete immunoglobulin (correct)
  • To cause allergic reactions
  • To store fat
  • To differentiate into multiple cell types

    • What is unique about the nucleus of a plasma cell?

  • It is absent
  • It is centrally located
  • It is fragmented
  • It is eccentrically located (correct)

    • What is the function of mast cells?

  • To differentiate into multiple cell types
  • To store fat
  • To cause allergic reactions (correct)
  • To synthesize and secrete immunoglobulin

    • What is the function of fat cells?

    <p>To synthesize and store fat</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of the cytoplasm of a plasma cell?

    <p>It is basophilic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells?

    <p>To differentiate into multiple cell types</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to neutrophils and eosinophils after entering connective tissue?

    <p>They live for a short time and then die</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of the granules in mast cells?

    <p>They are metachromatic and basophilic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of fibroblasts in loose connective tissue?

    <p>Synthesize fibers and ground substance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic shape of a fibroblast under light microscopy?

    <p>Large, flattened cell with processes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of a fibrocyte?

    <p>Become active fibroblasts for repairing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic feature of a macrophage's cytoplasm under light microscopy?

    <p>Acidophilic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main component of ground substance?

    <p>Proteoglycans</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of macrophages in terms of immune responses?

    <p>Capturing, processing, and presenting antigens to lymphocytes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of proteoglycans in ground substance?

    <p>To allow the passage of nutrients and gases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of connective tissue has parallelly-arranged collagenous fibers?

    <p>Regular Dense Connective Tissue</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the process by which macrophages ingest and digest foreign particles and microorganisms?

    <p>Phagocytosis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of brown adipose tissue?

    <p>Many small lipid droplets</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of hyaluronic acid in ground substance?

    <p>To link subunits of proteoglycans</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main component of elastic tissue?

    <p>Elastic fibers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of white adipose tissue?

    <p>Single large lipid droplet</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the distribution of brown adipose tissue?

    <p>Neonate and decrease with age</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the functional feature of collagenous fibers?

    <p>Have great tensile strength, but inelastic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of collagen is found in reticular fibers?

    <p>Type III collagen</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of the cells of connective tissue?

    <p>Stellate shape with processes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of elastic fibers under EM?

    <p>Core: elastin-low electron density, Peripheral: microfibril</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of cells are mast cells and fat cells?

    <p>Fixed cells</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the functions of connective tissue?

    <p>Extravascular transport of nutrients and waste</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the origin of all connective tissue?

    <p>Mesenchyme</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the diameter of collagenous fibers?

    <p>1-20 μm</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a type of connective tissue that is not included in the narrow sense of connective tissue?

    <p>Cartilage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of fibers are argyrophilic?

    <p>Reticular fibers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of the extracellular matrix of connective tissue?

    <p>It is composed of fibers and amorphous ground substance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a function of the matrix in connective tissue?

    <p>Forming a physical barrier to infectious agents</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    General Features of Connective Tissue

    • Small number of cells and large amount of extracellular ground substance
    • Extracellular matrix composed of fibers and amorphous ground substance
    • All connective tissue originates from mesenchyme - embryonal connective tissue
    • No polarity
    • Rich in blood vessels
    • Basement membrane present

    Functions of Connective Tissue

    • Mechanical support and connection
    • Extravascular transport of nutrients, wastes, gases, hormones, etc.
    • Healing, repair, and regeneration
    • Defense: Matrix forms physical barrier to infectious agents; active in inflammatory responses; reservoir of phagocytic and antibody-producing cells

    Mesenchymal Cells

    • Structure: stellate-shaped with processes, large nucleus with clear nucleoli, and slight basophilic cytoplasm
    • Function: undifferentiated cell with multiple developmental potential (connective tissue cell, smooth muscle cell, and endothelial cell)

    Matrix

    • Ground substance: amorphous colloidal substance consisting of proteoglycans, multiadhesive glycoprotein, and tissue fluid
    • Fibers: collagenous, elastic, and reticular fibers

    Classification of Connective Tissue

    • Narrow sense: loose connective tissue, dense connective tissue, adipose tissue, and reticular tissue
    • Wide sense: includes cartilage, bone, and blood

    Loose Connective Tissue (Areolar Tissue)

    • Cells: fibroblast, macrophage, plasma cell, mast cell, fat cell, and leukocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes)
    • Fibers: three types (collagenous, elastic, and reticular fibers)
    • Ground substance: same as matrix

    Fibroblast

    • Structure:
      • LM: large, flattened cell with processes, large ovoid pale nucleus, and weakly basophilic cytoplasm
      • EM: rich in RER, Golgi apparatus, and free ribosomes
    • Function: synthesizes fibers and ground substance
    • Fibrocyte: inactive fibroblast, structure and function similar to fibroblast but with less organelles

    Macrophage (Histiocyte)

    • Structure:
      • LM: round or ovoid with short blunt processes, small dark nucleus, and acidophilic cytoplasm
      • EM: rich in lysosomes, phagosomes, and microfilaments
    • Function:
      • Ingestion and digestion of microorganisms, damaged cells, and particles
      • Antigen presentation: capturing, processing, and presenting antigens to lymphocytes, triggering immune responses
      • Secretion of various substances (lysozyme, interferon, interleukin 1, etc.)

    Plasma Cell

    • Structure:
      • LM: round or ovoid, eccentrically-located nucleus with spot-like heterochromatin, pale staining region, and basophilic cytoplasm
      • EM: rich in parallelly-arranged RER, free ribosomes, and Golgi complex
    • Function: synthesizes and secretes immunoglobulins (antibodies), derived from B-lymphocytes

    Mast Cell

    • Structure:
      • LM: round and large, often found near blood vessels, with abundant and coarse basophilic granules
      • Cytoplasm contains heparin (anticoagulant), histamine (causes capillary permeability increase, leakage, and smooth muscle contraction), and eosinophil chemotactic factor
    • Function: causes allergic reactions by releasing histamine, heparin, leukotriene, and other substances in response to antigenic stimulus

    Fat Cell (Adipocyte)

    • Structure:
      • Large, round or polygonal, with flattened ovoid nucleus and thin layer of cytoplasm
      • Large lipid droplet
    • Function: synthesizes and stores fat

    Undifferentiated Mesenchymal Cell

    • Structure: similar to fibrocyte
    • Function: multidifferentiating potential

    Leukocytes (Wandering Cells)

    • Neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes
    • Functions:
      • Neutrophils and eosinophils: enter connective tissue, live for a short time, and die
      • Lymphocytes: enter tissue, leave through lymphatics, and return to blood circulation
      • Increase in number during infections, inflammation, and other pathologic conditions involved in defense

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    Description

    This quiz covers the general features and functions of connective tissue, including its composition, development, and roles in the body.

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