Connective Tissue

• Found throughout the body; most abundant and widely distributed in primary tissues
• Embryonic
• Connective tissue proper
• Cartilage
• Bone
• Blood

Embryonic Connective Tissue

• Embryonic connective tissue is formed during the development of the embryo. It is divided
into mesenchyme (in embryos) and mucoid connective tissue (umbilical cord).
• Mesenchyme develops into the various connective tissues of the body. Mucoid connective tissue is a
gelatinous substance found in the umbilical cord.
• Mesenchyme is a part of embryonic mesoderm. It is composed of unspecialized cells that are placed
loosely arranged in a gelatinous ground substance. It consists of primitive mesenchymal cells
that have an irregular, stellate shape with delicate branching cytoplasmic processes that form an
interlacing network throughout the tissue.
• From the mesenchyme, all connective tissue, bone, cartilage, and the circulatory and lymphatic
systems are produced.

Functions of Connective Tissue

• Binding and support
• Protection
• Insulation
• Transportation

Characteristics of Connective Tissue

• Connective tissues have:
• Mesenchyme as their common tissue of origin
• Varying degrees of vascularity
• Nonliving extracellular matrix, consisting of ground substance and fibers

Structural Elements of Connective Tissue

• All connective tissues share similar structural elements
1. Ground substance – unstructured material that fills the space between cells
2. Fibers – collagen, elastic, or reticular
3. Cells – fibroblasts, chondroblasts, osteoblasts, and hematopoietic stem cells