4. Tissues & Histology

Marco and Yara are discussing connective tissue and Marco states that blood can't be a connective tissue because it's a liquid. Yara claims that blood is a specialized connective tissue with a fluid ECM. Who is right and why?

Match the following types of connective tissue with their correct location(s). 

Hyaline cartilage           

Elastic cartilage           

Smooth muscle           

Dense irregular connective tissue           

Fibrocartilage

Cardiac muscle

Dense regular elastic tissue

Reticular connective tissue 

a. Dermis, surrounding joints, organs

b. Most hollow organs, eye, skin

c. Large arteries, certain ligaments

d. Ear and epiglottis

e. Lymph nodes, spleen, liver

f. Freely moveable joints

g. Intervertebral discs, knee joint

h. Heart

Describe the roles of the following components of the ECM:

Collagen fibers

What kind of connective tissue acts as a sponge, soaking up fluid when edema occurs?

a. Areolar connective

b. Adipose connective

c. Dense irregular connective

d. Reticular connective

e. Vascular

What kind of connective tissue prevents muscles from pulling away from bones during contraction?

a. Dense connective

b. Areolar

c. Elastic connective

d. Hyaline cartilage

What are the general structural characteristics of connective tissues? What are the functions of connective tissues? How are their functions reflected in their structures?

Match the appropriate structure with the proper description and/or function.

1. Made of dense, irregular connective tissue

 2. Produce sebum

3. Helps regulate body temperature by producing sweat

4. Cause fingerprints

5. Houses the hair root

6. Superficial keratinized stratified squamous epithelium

7. Deep pressure receptors

8. Vascular layer that houses skin appendages

a. Dermal papillae

b. Lamellar corpuscles

c. Dermis

d. Hair follicle

e. Epidermis

f. Eccrine sweat gland

g. Reticular layer

h. Sebaceous glands

What is the name of the connective tissue membrane found lining the joint cavities?

A layer of glycoproteins and a network of fine protein filaments that prevents the movement of proteins and other large molecules from the connective tissue to the epithelium describe

(a) Interfacial canals

(b) The basement membrane

(c) The reticular lamina

(d) Areolar tissue

(e) Squamous epithelium

Why does damaged cartilage heal slowly?

(a) Chondrocytes cannot be replaced if killed, and other cell types must take their place.

(b) Cartilage is avascular, so nutrients and other molecules must diffuse to the site of injury.

(c) Damaged cartilage becomes calcified, thus blocking the movement of materials required for healing.

(d) Chondrocytes divide more slowly than other cell types, delaying the healing process.

(e) Damaged collagen cannot be quickly replaced, thereby slowing the healing process.

During a lab practical, a student examines a tissue that is composed of densely packed protein fibers that run parallel to each other and form a cord. There are no striations, but small nuclei are visible. The student identifies the tissue as skeletal muscle. Why is the student's choice wrong, and what tissue is he probably observing?

Describe the fluid connective tissues in the human body. What are the main differences between fluid connective tissues and supporting connective tissues?

Matrix is a characteristic of which type of tissue?

(a) Epithelial

(b) Nervous

(c) Muscle

(d) Connective

Functions of connective tissue include

(a) Establishing a structural framework for the body

(b) Storing energy reserves

(c) Providing protection for delicate organs

(d) All of these

(e) a and c only.