CAPS 390 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Ground Substance, Fibronectin, Proteoglycan
Document Summary
Understand the general features and functions of ct (see lecture power point slides) Functions: provides structural support, protection, storage of lipids, and medium for exchange. Classification: connective tissue proper or specialized connective tissue (covered later) Consists of cells and ecm (ground substance and fibers) Gag"s are negatively charged - attract sodium and water (= hydration & gel like consistency) Helps hydrate ct to facilitate diffusion and exchange. Major type in connective tissue is type i collagen. Tropocollagen (triple helix) subunits overlap to form banding pattern on fibrils. Inelastic/don"t stretch; critical for tensile strength of connective tissues. Very thin specialized form of collagen (collagen type iii) fibers that are highly glycosylated and cross-linked together to form a meshwork/net within highly cellular connective tissues (eg. within lymphoid organs). Elastic quality (stretch, return to original shape when force released) contain elastin polymers wrapped with microfibrils of glycoprotein.