Other Tissues

Connective Tissues Connect body parts, widely distributed Functions – Protect, Support, Bind Characteristics – Varied blood supply – Contain an extracellular matrix

Extracellular Matrix Produced by connective tissues Composed of – Ground substance Water, adhesion proteins, polysaccharides Can absorb large amounts of water – Matrix fibers Collagen (white) fibers – strong Elastic (yellow) fibers – stretch and recoil

Connective Tissue Types Bone – Bone cells in cavities (lacunae) – Surrounded by calcium and collagen Cartilage – More flexible – Types Hyaline cartilage – Collagen fibers; rubbery, blue white appearance Fibrocartilage – Compressible, found between vertebrae Elastic cartilage – Elastic!, external ear

Connective Tissues

Dense connective – Collagen fibers with fibroblasts – Tendons (muscle to bone) – Ligaments (bone to bone) – Lower layer of skin Loose connective – Softer contains fewer fibers – Areolar tissue – cobwebby, “glue” – Adipose – fat tissue – Reticular tissue Contains reticular cells similar to fibroblast

Connective Tissue Blood – Extracellular matrix – plasma – Invisible fibers – only visible during clotting – Transport vessel for cardiovascular system

Muscle Tissue Function: To contract to produce movement 3 types – Skeletal Voluntary control Striated – Cardiac - heart Involuntary control Striated, contain intercalated discs – Smooth Involuntary control Spindle shaped, no striations Found in walls of hollow organs

Nervous Tissue Two main functions: Irritability, conductivity Composed of – Nerve cells (neurons) – Supporting cells – insulate, support, protect

Tissue Repair Two ways – Regeneration (replace with same type cells) – Fibrosis (replace with scar tissue) Repair determined by – Type of tissue damaged – Severity of injury

Tissue Repair Events – Capillaries become permeable Allow clotting proteins to get to injury Clot stops bleeding, holds wound together – Granulation Delicate, light pink tissue Mainly capillaries – Regeneration Scab detaches New tissue exposed