CONNECTIVE TISSUE

- Develops from the MESENCHYME.

- Most WIDESPREAD and most ABUNDANT
- Function: SUPPORT, ANCHOR, CONNECT

THREE BASIC STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS: Ground substance, Fibers, Cells

EPITHELIAL TISSUE CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Has many cells Has reduce number of cells because of the
presence of matrix; Has many intercellular
materials, composed of fibers interspersed among
cells and suspended in an amorphous ground
substance

GROUND SUBSTANCE: (1) Mixture of glycoproteins and proteoglycans; (2) Binds cells to the fibers and
fills spaces; (3) Consistency: Viscous, because it acts both as a lubricant and barrier and reduce friction
between cells and organs

FIBERS: Long, slender protein polymers. Three types: Collagen, Reticular, Elastic

 Collagen Fibers – tough, thick, do not branched, most abundant; lightly stained (Pink/Red)
 Collagen Type 1 Fiber: Dermis, Tendons, Ligaments, Fibrocartilage, Bones, Capsules of
Organ
 Collagen Type 2 Fiber: Hyaline cartilage and Elastic cartilage, vitreous body of eyes
 Collagen Type 3 Fiber: Lymph nodes, Spleen, Bone marrow
 Collagen Type 4 Fiber: Basal lamina – located between epithelial tissue and underlying
connective tissue
 Reticular Fibers – Type 3 Collagen; Thin, form a delicate netlike support framework
 Argyrophilic: affinity to silver
 Liver, Lymph nodes, Spleen, Hematopoietic organ (bone marrow)
 Elastic Fibers – thin, small, branching, not tough, capable of stretching and returning to their
original length; less tensile strength than collagen; Dark stained (Violet)
 Contains ELASTIN protein
 Lungs, Bladder wall (distension), Skin
 Elephantiasis is characterized by FIBROSIS which occurs when elastic fibers are changed with
collagen fiber
CELLS: Fibroblast, Macrophages, Mast cells, Plasma cells, Neutrophils, Eosinophils

 Fibroblast – Most commonly found, Synthesis of fibers & ground substance, Structural Function

FIBROBLAST FIBROCYTE (Inactive + Mature = Quiescent)

Active Inactive
Mature Mature
Many cytoplasm Spindle – shape
Euchromatic nucleus Heterochromatic nucleus
 Adipose cells – Adipocytes, Storage of fat and heat production
 Leukocytes – Migration across the capillary wall and venule walls from the blood
 Macrophages – Phagocytosis, Monocytes
 Macrophage – Largest WBC in TISSUE
 Monocytes – Largest WBC in BLOOD SMEAR
 Mast cells – Liberation of pharmacologically active substances (example: HISTAMINE)
 Plasma cells – Fewer in numbers, Synthesis of antibodies

GENERAL TYPES OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE: Connective Tissue Proper, Embryonic

Connective Tissue, Specialized Connective Tissue

 Connective Tissue Proper: Most ABUNDANT and Most DIVERSE

- Encompasses all organs and body cavities; Connecting one part with another end
 LOOSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE – Areolar Tissue
- More prevalent in the body than dense connective tissue; found where filling is
needed, surrounding most small blood vessels in the body
- Preponderant cells: FIBROBLAST
- Preponderant fiber: COLLAGEN
- Characterized by loose, irregular arrangement of connective tissue fibers and
abundant ground substance.
- Contains: Collagen fibers, Fibroblasts, Adipose cells, Mast cells, Macrophages
predominate in loose connective tissue
 DENSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE
- Thick and densely/compacted collagen fibers
- Lesser cell types, Lesser amount of ground substance
- Adapted to offer stress and resistance and protection
 DENSE REGULAR CONNECTIVE TISSUE
- Densely packed collagen fibers that exhibit a regular and
parallel arrangement
- Fibers and fibroblast aligned in parallel to resist prolonged
and repeated stress exerted in same direction
- Ligaments, Tendons, Aponeuroses
 DENSE IRREGULAR CONNECTIVE TISSUE
- Collagen fibers exhibit a random and irregular orientation.
 - With little ground substance and few cells protecting and
supporting organs
- Dermis of Skin, Capsules of different Organs, Submucosal
Layer of GIT tract
 EMBRYONIC CONNECTIVE TISSUE
- Equal number of few collagen fibers; have undifferentiated or immature cells
 MUCOID or MUCOUS CONNECTIVE TISSUE
- Has abundant ground substance (jelly like) with sparse collagen fibers and
scattered fibroblasts
- Umbilical cord (Wharton’s Jelly), Embryonic Dental Pulp
 MESENCHYME
- Sparse, with few collagen fibers and undifferentiated mesenchymal cells
- Found in Mesodermal layer of Early Embryo
 SPECIALIZED CONNECTIVE TISSUE
 ELASTIC TISSUE
- Bundles of thick parallel elastic fibers
- Spaces: Thin Elastic Fibers and Fibroblasts
- Occurs infrequently; because of Elastin why color yellow
- Yellow ligaments of the vertebral column , suspensory ligament of the penis
 RETICULAR CONNECTIVE TISSUE
- Delicate network of reticular fibers composed of mainly type III collagen; near
to black color
- With attached specialized fibroblasts called RETICULAR CELLS
- Bone Marrow, Liver, Adrenal glands, Lymphoid glands
 ADIPOSE TISSUE
- Storage depots for neutral fats, key regulators of body’s overall energy
metabolism
- Preponderant cells: Adipocytes (fat cells)
- Preponderant fibers: Reticular and Collagen
- Location: Subcutaneous fat, Omentum, Mesentery, Inguinal, Axillary, Cervical
regions

WHITE ADIPOSE TISSUE BROWN ADIPOSE TISSUE

Signet-ring appearance, Uniocular Smaller (adipocytes), Multilocular
Periphery located nucleus Central nucleus
Subcutaenous, Intra-abdominal, Newborn body: Back, Neck,
Epicardial, Gonadal Shoulders
Adult: Kidneys, Adrenal gland,
aorta, mediastinum
 BLOOD
- Provides transport system of nutrients and chemical messengers to all body
tissues and waste to excretory organs; Eliminate wastes
 - Three major cell types: FORMED ELEMENTS suspended in PLASMA
 Red Blood Cells (Erythrocytes) – Abundant; nonnucleated
 Red Blood Cells | CENTRAL PALLOR
 Microcytic = Small RBC size
 Hypochromic = Decrease Hemoglobin level;
Big Central Pallor
 Macrocytic = Large RBC size
 Hyperchromic = Increase Hemoglobin level;
Small curve pallor
 White Blood Cells (Leukocytes)
 GRANULOCYTES
 Neutrophil: most abundant; fine violet
granules; multi-lobed
 Eosinophil: Bi-lobed, Bright Reddish-Orange,
Bigger Granules than Neutrophil
 Basophil: Granules bigger than Nucleus,
Dark Blue
 AGRANULOCYTES
 Lymphocytes
o Small = Small cytoplasm since
occupies most of cytoplas
o Large = Large cytoplasm
 Monocyte: Largest WBC in blood smear
 Macrophage: Largest WBC in Tissue
both Monocyte and Macrophage:
Oval/Horse-shoe/Kidney shape
 Platelets (Thrombocytes)
- Remnants of Megakaryocytes particularly cytoplasm; largest
cell in bone marrow;
- monitor the vascular system and to detect any damage to the
endothelial lining of the vessels;
- Nonnucleated disk-like cell fragments; 10 DAY LIFESPAN
 CARTILAGE
- Characterized by an extracellular matrix, chondrocytes, fibers and ground
substance
- Functions for support
- Essential for growth and development of long bones
- Chondrocytes are located in lacunae
 HYALINE CARTILAGE
- Most common type
 - Collage Type II fibers
- Serves as a temporary skeleton until gradually replaced by
bone
- Articular surfaces of movable joints, Walls of respiratory
passages, sternum, epiphyseal plate
 ELASTIC CARTILAGE
- Contains abundant network of fine elastic fibers in addition to
collagen fibrils (Collagen Type II fibers)
- Fresh preparation has a YELLOWISH COLOR
- Auricle of Ear, External auditory meatus, Eustachian tube,
Epiglottis, Larynx
 FIBROCARTILAGE
- Chondrocytes are very often arranged in rows
- Matrix is acidophilic due to type I collagen fibers
- Matrix is less abundant
- Collagen fibers either form irregular bundles between groups
of chondrocytes or are aligned in parallel arrangements along
the columns of chondrocytes
 BONE
- Hardest connective tissue
- Protects and provides support for organs and skeletal muscles
- OSTEOCYTES: trapped in spaces called LACUNAE
- CANALICULI: small canals, contain blood vessels