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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