Connective tissue

 Develops from mesenchyme and consists of cells and extracellular matrix- fluid and substance
are supported
 Matrix consist of tissues fluid, the ground substance- medium for exchange of nutrients, o2 and
waste; depending on the arrangement of the fibers
 responsible for providing structural support for the tissues and organs of the body
 important in maintaining the form of the body, organs and tissues
 derive its name from its function in connective or binding cells and tissues

I. Functions of connective tissue

a. Structural support
b. Metabolic functions
c. Blood components and blood vessels
d. Defensive functions

II. Composition
a. Cells
b. Extra cellular matrix
i. Composed of protein fibers (collagen fibers, reticular fibers, elastic fibers)
ii. Amorphous ground substance
iii. Tissue fluid
iv. Main constituent of connective tissue
c. Cell type
i. Mesenchyme
 embryonic source of all connective tissue cells
ii. Fibroblast
1. structural support
2. active permanent cells that synthesize all collagen, reticular and elastic
connective tissue fibers
3. synthesize glycosaminoglycans (GAG, proteoglycans and multi adhesive
glycoproteins ),
4. has projections
5. building connective tissue mainly
6. growth factors- influence cell growth and differentiation
7. myofibroblats- involved in wound healinng
iii. fibrocytes
1. smaller than fibroblasts
2. inactive or resting connecting
3. maintenance of the connective tissue

iv. Chondroblast
1. structural support cartilages
v. Osteoblast
1. Form new bone cells
vi. Osteocytes
1. Maintenance of the bone cells
vii. Osteoclast
1. Dispose of the old cells (apoptisis)
viii. Lymphocytes
 Most numerous in loose connective tissue of respiratory and gastro
intestinal tracts
 Viral infection
 Diapedesis- leave the blood by migrating between the endothelial cells
lining venules to enter connective tissue
ix. Neutrophils
 Active phagocytes ; engulf and destroy bacteria
x. Eosinophils
 Increase after parasitic infection
 Phagocytize antigen-antibodies complexes during allergic reactions
xi. Basophil
xii. Mast cells
 Function in the localized release of substance in the role of
inflammatory response, innate immunity and tissue repair:
o Heparin – sulfated GAG (anticoagulant)
o Histamine- vascular permeability and smooth muscle
contraction
o Serine proteases- mediators of inflammation
o Eosinophil and neutrophil chemotactic factors- attract those
leukocytes
o Cytokines- directing activities of leukocytes and other cells of
the immune system
o Phospholipid – conversion to prostaglandins, leukotrienes and
other important lipid mediators of the inflammatory response
 Numerous near small blood vessels in the skin and mesenteries
(perivascular mast cells)
 Tissue that lines digestive and respiratory tract(mucosal mast cells)
 Immediate hypersensitivity reactions- release of certain chemical
mediators stored in mast cells to promote allergic reactions
xiii. Plasma cells
 Characterized by chromatin, distributed in radial pattern
 Derived from B-lymphocytes exposed to antigens
 Produce antibodies to destroy specific antigens
 Lifespan is only 10-20 days
xiv. Macrophages
 Most numerous in loose connective tissue
o Within the connective tissue has capillaries> delivered to the
capillaries> diffusion thru (selective permeability) capillary bed
 Derived from circulation blood monocytes
 Called kupffer cells in liver, osteoclasts in bone, microglia in the nervous
system, Langerhans cells in skin; monocytes in the blood
xv. Adipocytes
1. metabolic and energy storage
2. provides insulation
3. serve as cushion and insulate the skin and other organs
4. The types of adipocytes:
 a. White adipose fat cells
i. Fat soluble vitamins
ii. Sole source of hormone leptin- regulate appetite
b. Brown adipose fat cells
i. Newborn babies have more brown fats
III. Amorphous ground substance
o Transparent material composed mainly of glycoproteins and proteoglycans, with a failry
high water content
o the main proteoglycans consist of core proteins associated with sulfated
glycosaminoglycans (GAG)
o the main GAG include
 chondroitin -4-sulfate
 chondroitin- 6- sulfate
 keratin sulfate
 heparan sulfate
 non sulfated hyaluronic acid
o laminin- provides adhesion for epithelial and other cells with binding sites for integrins
IV. connective tissue fibers
a. collagen fibers
i. most abundant protein in the body
ii. types of collagen fibers
1. type 1 most common and very strong; found in skin tendons, ligaments
and bone osteogenesis imperfecta
2. type 2 found in hyaline and elastic cartilage and the vitreous body of the
eye; provide resistance to pressure; glaucoma is the eye problem
3. type 3 forms mesh work in liver, lymph nodes, spleen and hemapoeitic
organs
4. type 4 found in basal lamina of basement membrane; associated with
hemi desmosomes
iii. synthesized by a wide number of cell types including:
1. fibroblast – type of cell that synthesizes the extra cellular matrix and
collagen ; critical role in wound healing
2. osteoblast-large cell responsible for the synthesis and mineralization of
bone during both initial bone formation and later bone remodeling
3. chondroblasts- immature cartilage-producing cells/ cell of growing
cartilage tissue
4. odontoblast- deposit dentin and form the outer surface of the dental
pulp
5. reticular cells- cell with processes making contact with those of other
similar cells to form a cellular network ensheathing a network of
reticular fibers which constitutes the stroma of all lymphoid organs
except thymus
6. epithelial cells
7. endothelial cells
8. smooth muscle cells
9. schwann cells- cells in the peripheral nervous system that produce the
myelin sheath around the neuronal axons
iv. main amino acids of collagen are
 1. glycine
2. proline
3. hydroxyproline

b. reticular fibers
 very thin; stained black after impregnation with silver salts. This affinity for silver
is called argyrophillia
 fine meshed net around cells and cell groups
 abundant in lymphatorgans (lymph nodes, spleen), smooth muscles (sheath
surrounding each myocyte) in endonerium (connective tissue surrounding
peripheral nerve fibers) and supporting epithelial cells of several glands (liver,
endocrine glands)
c. elastic fibers
 elastic and stretch in response to tension
 formed from the protein elastin
 amino acid composition of elastin:
 rich in glycine and proline but in addition has 2 unusual amino acids,
desmosine and isodemosine
 have a high content of valine
 elastin imparts a yellow color to the tissue
 elastic laminae of arterial blood vessels walls are composed of non fibrillary
form of elastin
 stretch marks occurs if the elastic fibers stretch to much
V. connective tissue cells
a. fibroblast
b. macrophages (kupffer cells of the liver, alveolar macrophages of the lungs, osteoclast,
microglia)
c. mast cells
d. plasma cells
e. leukocytes

VI. classification of connective tissue

a. loose connective tissue
 prevalent in the body
 abundant ground substance
 collagen most abundant in the body
 aka areolar connective tissue
i. areolar tissue
 a loosely arranged, fibro-elastic connective tissue
 Most widespread CT
 Functions
o Mechanical
o Transport of metabolites
o Defense
o repair
 Gross anatomy- dissection= freeing areolar from other things
 Fastens down skin and other membranes
  Conducts blood vessels/ nerves
 Binds muscles and part
 Bedding-substance (stroma) inside many organs
 Mobile body parts > areolar surrounds stretchy anchoring, embedding
medium
 Gross:
o Whitish to translucent
o Soft pliable, slippery, stretchy
o Handlens=cobwebby
 Structure
o Ground substance = amorphous jelly containing coagulable
tissue fluid
o Cells- fibroblast and macrophages most numerous
o Fibers – collagenous (greatest bulk)
o Elastic fibers – continuous branching network
o Reticular fibers – where areolar borders other structures

ii. adipose tissue

 areolar contains scattered fat cells areas dominated by aggregations =
adipose tissue
 A storage tissue > amount varies with nutritional state
 Occurrence:
o Under skin (panniculus adiposus)
o Around kidneys and suprarenal
o Mesenteries
o Groove of hear
o Bone marrow
o Cervical, axillary, inguinal regions
 Absent: nervous system, lungs, eyelids, penis
iii. reticular tissue
 framework of lymphoid organs, bone marrow liver alimentary and
respiratory mucous membranes
 other regions – reticular fibers and fibroblasts
 all lymphoid organ except thymus
 fat cells, smooth muscle, capillaries, stroma
 cells of reticular tissue
o stallate
o resembles mesenchymal cells
o considerable cytoplasm
o nucleus large and pale
o cytoplasmic extensions- appear to touch
b. dense connective tissue
 abundant, compact fibers
 limited space left for ground substance
 subdivisions: fibers directions and dominant fiber type
i. dense irregular connective tissue
1. Interlaced arrangement of fibers
 o predominantly collagenous (whitish)
 most facias and dermis of skin; protection keratinized
stratified squamous cell
 organ capsules (liver, testis)
 sheaths (periosteum, epimysium, dura mater)
 Septa and trabeculae (partitions in organs)
 Submucousa of GI tract
o Predominantly elastic (yellow)
 Tubular sheaths in wall of blood vessels
 Consolidates into elastic membranes of largest arteries
ii. dense regular connective tissue
 fibers densely packed with regular, parallel orientation
 present in tendons and ligaments that are attached to bones
 great resistance to forces pulling along singe axis or direction
 minimal ground substance
1. predominantly collagenous
o tendons (most common/ obvious)
 unit = primary tendon bundle
 a very large collangenous fiber clasped by fibroblasts
 primary bundles run parallel to each other
 fine elastic networks may be present between primary
bundles
 only cell type > fibroblast
 primary bundles group together into a tendon fascicle
 fascicles separated by areolar CT
 predominantly elastic
 less common than collagenous type
 distintly yellorw dues to large number of elastic
fibers
 examples:
o ligamentum flava (of vertebrae)
o suspensory ligaments of penis
o stylo-hyoid ligament
o true vocal cors
o ligamentum nuchae (of quarupeds)
o
o ligaments
o aponeroses

VII. mucous tissue

o umbilical cord (warton’s jelly)
o loose connective tissue composed of fibroblast with several long cytoplasmic processes
o intracellular space is filled with jelly like amorphous ground substance, rich in hyaluronic
acids and fibers