4. Tissues & Histology

What part of connective tissue takes up most of the volume?

During a dissection, a student comes across a tissue they don't recognize. They note it makes the internal structure of the spleen (an organ of the immune system that filters blood) and when they examine a section under the microscope, they see long dark branched structures, small circular cells, and a significant amount of ECM. What type of tissue could this be?

Both epithelial and connective tissue are involved in transport of materials in the body. How do their functions differ?

Compare and contrast the following pairs of terms:

c. Holocrine secretion and merocrine secretion

Each of the following statements is false. Correct each to make a true statement.

a. Mucous membranes are composed of mesothelium and the underlying loose connective tissue.

Vitamin C is required for synthesis of collagen. Predict the effect that a vitamin C deficiency (a disease called scurvy) would have on bone tissue, dense regular collagenous connective tissue, dense irregular connective tissue, and cartilage. What symptoms would you expect to see from this disease?

In the disease scleroderma, excessive collagen, glycosaminoglycans, and glycoproteins are produced and deposited in tissues throughout the body. Predict the effects of this disease.

In the disease pulmonary fibrosis, elastic fibers of the lung are destroyed and replaced with collagen fibers. Predict the effect this would have on breathing.

Predict which organelles are likely to be abundant in cells such as fibroblasts that actively produce and secrete proteins. (Connects to ​Chapter 3​)

Explain how connective tissues differ from epithelial tissues in structure and function.

Describe the roles of each of the following components of the ECM:

f. Elastic fibers