Epithelial Basics
This tissue class forms protective layers and is specialized for secretion and absorption.
What is epithelial tissue?
The most abundant fiber in connective tissue, known for strength.
What are collagen fibers?
The weakest type of cartilage, found in ribs and tracheal rings.
What is hyaline cartilage?
The main communicative cells of nervous tissue.
What are neurons?
An increase in the number of cells in a tissue.
What is hyperplasia?
A single layer of flat, “fried egg”-shaped cells that allow diffusion and osmosis.
What is simple squamous epithelium?
This connective tissue stores fat and functions as padding.
What is adipose tissue?
The strongest cartilage, found in intervertebral discs and menisci.
What is fibrocartilage?
Skeletal muscle fibers are described as this because of their many nuclei.
What is multinucleated?
Programmed cell death.
What is apoptosis?
The only type of epithelium with elastic properties that stretches.
What is transitional epithelium?
Fibroblasts are actively dividing cells commonly found in this type of connective tissue.
What is areolar tissue (or dense connective tissue)?
The small spaces in cartilage or bone where cells are found.
What are lacunae?
This muscle type is striated and contains intercalated discs.
What is cardiac muscle?
Death of tissue from insufficient blood supply.
What is infarction?
These junctions allow direct cell-to-cell communication.
What are gap junctions?
This fibrous connective tissue type has highly organized collagen fibers and is found in tendons and ligaments.
What is dense regular connective tissue?
The repeating structural unit of compact bone, containing lamellae and a central canal.
What is an osteon?
In glandular epithelium, this secretion type releases products via exocytosis.
What is merocrine secretion?
The process of replacing damaged tissue with scar tissue.
What is fibrosis?
If pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium in the lungs is damaged, it may be replaced by this type of epithelium.
What is keratinized squamous epithelium?
The three main components of the extracellular matrix are cells, fibers, and this substance.
What is ground substance?
This tough membrane surrounds cartilage, except in fibrocartilage.
What is the perichondrium?
The mucous membrane contains epithelium, areolar connective tissue (lamina propria), and sometimes this additional layer.
What is the muscularis mucosae?
Excessive fibrosis that forms raised scar tissue.
What is a keloid?