Specialized Connective Tissue: Blood - Video Tutorials & Practice Problems
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concept
Intro to Blood
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So now that we've covered cartilages and bone or Asus tissue. In our previous lesson videos in this video, we're going to begin talking about the third type of specialized connective tissue in our lesson, which is blood. Now, both blood and lymph are types of liquid connective tissues. However, we're going to talk about them separately. And in this video, we're focusing on blood. Now, in terms of its characteristics, we already know that blood is a liquid connective tissue. And we've learned that blood is important for transporting nutrients all throughout the body. And so really blood is going to connect all tissues because it does serve as pretty much a highway throughout the entire body. Again, delivering nutrients and oxygen to tissues all throughout the body. And so when you think of blood in this way, it makes sense intuitively that it is categorized as a connective tissue because it connects all of the tissues in the body by again, delivering nutrients and gasses. Now, in terms of the extracellular matrix or the ECM again, because blood is a liquid connective tissue, its extracellular matrix is going to be different than the connective tissues that we talked about in our previous lesson videos and in fact, its extracellular matrix is referred to as plasma. Now, the plasma, blood is going to consist of water and salts and proteins and other dissolved molecules as well. Now, in terms of the protein fibers in the extracellular matrix, blood actually doesn't have those same fibrous proteins in the extracellular matrix. And so instead blood again, is going to have smaller proteins that are dissolved in the plasma. However, those smaller proteins dissolved in the plasma can form fibers during the blood clotting process, which helps to prevent blood loss and is a process that we'll get to talk more about later in our course. Now, in terms of the cell types, there are really two main cell types in blood and one important cell fragment. And so the two main cell types are erythrocytes and leucocytes. Now, erythrocytes is really just a fancy scientific name for red blood cells. And these red blood cells are the classic cells that you think of immediately when you think about blood and these red blood cells are going to be important for transporting oxygen gas all throughout the tissues in our body. Now, leucocytes are again the other main type of cell found in the blood and these leucocytes. That's really just the fancy scientific name for white blood cells. And these white blood cells are really going to help provide immunity. So they are immune cells and there are a variety of different types of leucocytes. And later in our course, we'll be able to cover blood and the cardiovascular system in much more detail. Now, the cell fragment that you should be aware of are the thrombocytes. And so thrombocytes again are cell fragments and they are also commonly called platelets. And so platelets and thrombocytes are referring to the same cell fragments. And so these thrombocytes or platelets are going to be used in blood clotting again to help prevent blood loss. And that's a process that we'll get to talk more about later in our course. And so notice over here, we have an image showing a person and on the left side of their body, you can see that we can uh see their cardiovascular system including their veins and their arteries. And of course, we know that the veins and arteries carry blood. And so over here in this little image, you can see some of the different types of blood cells, including the uh red blood cells and the white blood cells. And then this little purple guy in the middle here is supposed to represent a specific type of white blood cell known as a macrophage, which performs phagocytosis to engulf pathogens and eliminate them. And so notice here we have a micrograph showing you blood and you can see erythrocytes are going to be the red blood cells and leucocytes are going to be white blood cells, including macrophages. Like what you can see being indicated here. And so this year concludes our brief introduction to blood. And again, later in our course, in a different chapter, when we're covering the cardiovascular system, we'll be able to talk a lot more details about blood. But for now, this year concludes this video and I'll see you all in our next video where we can apply some of these concepts.
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example
Specialized Connective Tissue: Blood Example 1
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2m
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So here we have an example problem that asks the fluid matrix of blood helps it perform what function. And we've got these four potential answer options down below. Now, recall from our last lesson video, that blood is a liquid connective tissue where its extracellular matrix is a liquid that's called plasma. And plasma is made mostly of water with a bunch of substances dissolved in it such as salts and small proteins, hormones and nutrients such as glucose, for example. And so being a liquid connective tissue that's actually going to allow for it to flow better through the cavities such as arteries and veins and the heart is going to serve as the pump that pumps that liquid connective tissue through those arteries and veins. And so being a fluid matrix is going to aid in transporting gasses and nutrients. And so recall that red blood cells or erythrocytes are going to be important for transporting oxygen, gas and carbon dioxide gass as well. And again, that plasma can have dissolved nutrients such as glucose. And so being that fluid is going to aid in transportation. So the correct answer here to this example is answer option A. So we can indicate A here is correct. Now, notice option B says that the fluid matrix is primarily responsible for providing immunity by washing away microbes. But recall from our last lesson video, we said that the leucocytes or the white blood cells are going to be the cells primarily responsible for providing immunity. And so the fluid matrix being a fluid matrix itself is not going to allow for immunity and also it's not going to be washing away microbes either. And so for those reasons, we could have eliminated. Option B. Now, option C says the fluid matrix aids in storing energy. Now this is also not going to be the case for blood. So we can eliminate answer option C and then option D says that the fluid matrix aids in insulating the body. But really this is not the primary function of blood and insulation is more. So going to be the function of adipose tissue which is a type of loose connective tissue, but again, not the primary function of the fluid matrix of blood. So option A here is the correct answer to this example and that concludes this example. So I'll see you all in our next video.
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Problem
Problem
Hemoglobinopathies are a set of conditions where red blood cells have an abnormal shape that can cause them to stick together. Given the structure of normal blood tissue, what could be an issue with having sticky red blood cells?
A
Blood's primary function is support, so sticky red blood cells aren't a problem.
B
Sticky red blood cells could change the viscosity of blood, impacting its ability for transport.
C
Sticky red blood cells wouldn't change the viscosity of blood, so transport wouldn't be impacted.
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