Bio230- ConnectiveTissue(CT)Labworksheet

HereisyourlabworksheettoConnectiveTissue.REMEMBER- C.T.isclassifiedaccordingtoitsGroundsubstance(G.S.).Mostoftheseimagesareactualslidesfromourclassroom!YouMustunderstandwhatthematrixis.WhatC.T.cellcreatesthematrixthatitresidesin.Whattwocomponentsformthematrix.

Thesearetheonesyouwillbetestedonforthefirstlabpractical.YouwillbetestedonBoneC.T.,MuscleC.T.andBloodC.T.atalaterdate.

1. ConnectiveTissueProper(G.S.issyrupy/viscous)a.)LooseConnectiveTissue(proteinfibersarrangedinloosefashioninmatrix)

1.)AreolarConnectiveTissue2.) ReticularConnectiveTissue:3.)AdiposeTissue

b.)DenseConnectiveTissue(proteinfibersarrangedindensefashioninmatrix.Groundsubstanceminimal)1,)DenseRegularConnectiveTissue2.)DenseIrregularConnectiveTissue

2.CartilageConnectiveTissue- (G.S.isfirm).AllcartilageC.T.isavascular.MaincelltypeareChondrocyteswhichresideinlacunae(lacuna=singular,lacunae=plural)a.)HyalineCartilageb,)ElasticCartilagec.)Fibrocartilage

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Areolar

Reticular

Adipose

DenseRegular

Denseirregular

HyalineCartilage

ElasticCartilage

Fibrocartilage

ConnectivetissueProper(Groundsubstancesyrupy/viscous)C.T.Proper-loose

1.AreolartissueNoticetheloosearrangementofelastic(thin,darker)andcollagenfibers(thicker,lighterstained),withthenumerousnucleiofthefibroblasts.Macrophages(phagocytes)alsocanbeseeninsomeslides,butyouwillnotberequiredtoIDthem.Question- thefibroblastsofthisCTmakeall3proteinfibers,whycan’tyouseereticularfibersonthisslide?Wheredoyou findthistypeofC.T.?Whyisitcalled“LooseC.T”?

40X 400X

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2.ReticulartissueNoticethesmalldarklystainedbranchedreticularfibersinterweaving&supportingthegroupsofcellsintheslide.Aspecialstain(silver)isneededtoseethesefibers.Mostofthecells/nucleiyouareseeingarethecellsoftheorganitwastakenfrom.Remember,reticularfibersaretheretosupportthesecells.Thisslideisfromthespleen.

Whatcellmakesthesereticularfibers?NamethreeplaceswhereyoucanfindthisC.T.

C.T.Proper-loose

400xmagnification

EasytoseeThefinebranchedReticularfibers.

MostofthecellsseenhereArefromtheorganwhereThesefibersareprovidingStructuralsupport.

Pointeratthereticularfibers

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3.Adiposetissue - canfindinmultipleplaces!!Butwewilllookatskinslides(deeptotheDermisinthehypodermis)andinelasticcartilageslides.Trytofindadiposetissueinbothofthoseslides.

Observethelarge“empty”cellswithathinringofcytoplasm&thepresenceofanucleuspushedtotheperipheryofthecells. Theseadiposecellsstore“fat”(akaadipose),whichislostduringthepreparationoftheslide.

Cellnuclei

emptycells

pointeroncellmembrane

C.T.Proper-loose

EpithelialTissueSkinslide

LookforadiposeDownhere----à

40Xmagnification Whatareatleast2functionsofadiposetissue.

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4.DenseRegularconnectivetissue(slidefromtendonorligament)Observethedenselypackedcollagenfibersrunningparalleltoeachother.Noticethewidelyinterspersedelongatednucleiof fibroblastsinbetweenthecollagenfiberbundles.

C.T.Proper(dense)- heretheproteinfibersarepackedinthematrix,littlegroundsubstance.Hencetheterm“Dense”.

Highmagnification(400X)

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5.DenseIrregularconnectivetissue(wewillbeusingaskinslideforthisC.T.)

Hereyouwillfinddenseirregularconnectivetissuedeeptothestratifiedsquamousoftheskin(inthedermisoftheskin).Herethecollagenisinanirregulararrangement.

StratifiedSquamous- KeratinizedE.T.

40XmagnificationPointerindeepdermisofskin.,areaofdenseirregularC.T.

100XmagnificationComparethearrangementofthesecollagenfiberstothoseofDenseRegularC.T..

dermis

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CartilageC.T.- Groundsubstancefirm.RemembercartilageisAvascular!Wheredoescartilagegetitsbloodsupply?Whatcellcreatesthematrixofcartilage?

1.HyalineCartilage - Mostabundanttypeofcartilage!Thisisfromthetrachea.Nameatleast4placesyoucanfindhyalinecartilage.

Observetheglassymatrixembeddedwithchondrocytesintheirlacunae.Nofibers arevisiblewithinthematrix.

Thewhiteroundedstructuresarethelacunae.Thedarkdotsinthelacunaearethenucleiofthechondrocytes.Intheupperrightcornerdoyourecognizetheepithelialtissue?

Theproteinfibersinthematrixareveryfinecollagen.Thecollagenfibersarenotvisible,butgivehyalinecartilageaglassyappearance.

Lacuna-singularLacunae-plural

Whatisthefunctionoflacunae?matrix

Chondrocyteinalacuna

matrix

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2.Elasticcartilage -

NoticetheLARGE chondrocytes/lacunaeembeddedwithinthematrixwhichcontainsdarkelasticfibers.Elasticcartilagefoundintheexternalearandepiglottis(EEE!!!)

matrix

3.Fibrocartilage –

Thematrixcontainsabundantcollagenfiberswhichappearwavy&mayobscuretheappearanceoftheSMALL chondrocyteswithintheirlacunae,whichtendtobeseeninrows.Thisisthestrongestcartilage.Why?Whatthreeplacescanyoufindthiscartilage?

Thecollagenfibers(stainedblueinthisslide)aredenselypacked!Thepointerisshowingyoualacunawiththenucleusofthechondrocyte(stainedpink).

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