CONNECTIVE TISSUE

Connective Tissue (CT)

Characteristics
 Mesodermal in origin b. Fibers
 Composed of cells and extracellular substances Principal producers of collagen and elastin are
or matrix fibroblasts
o Cells are apart from each other Types
o Abundant extracellular or intercellular 1. Collagen fibers
substances which form the main bulk of the CT  In fresh or unstained preparation
o colorless strands of indefinite length
 Non-branching and Inelastic but flexible
 May occur in solitary strands or in bundles
 Proteins known as tropocollagen
 E/M: each collagen fiber consists of parallel
fibrils which show cross-striations
 Denatured by boiling, soluble in strong acids
 Presence of CT fibers embedded in the and alkali
extracellular matrix  Easily digested by gastric juice
 Has both blood and nerve supplies except  Easily takes up ordinary stains and is
cartilage and mucous CT acidophilic
* Epithelium is avascular but with nerve supply
TYPE DISTRIBUTION
Types
I Skin, Bone, Tendon, Fascia,
1. Connective tissue proper
Capsules of organs
2. Adipose tissue
II Hyaline & elastic cartilage
3. Cartilage
4. Bone III Blood vessels, Spleen, Kidney,
5. Blood Uterus
IV Basal lamina of epithelia
1. Connective Tissue Proper VII Dermo-epidermal junction
- 3 major components VIII Endothelium, Descemet’s
a) Ground substance membrane
b) Fibers
c) Cells
- Types
1. Loose CT
2. Dense CT

THREE MAJOR COMPONENTS 2. Reticular fibers

a. Ground Substance
 Also known as extracellular matrix
 Translucent, gel-like material in which CT cells
and fibers are embedded
 Aqueous phase
o the medium through which all nutrients and
waste products must pass in transit between the
blood and the parenchymal cells of the organs
 Consist mainly of collagen type III
 Extremely thin, 0.5-2 u in diameter
 Argyrophilic (affinity to silver stain)
 Abundant in
o Smooth muscle
o Endoneurium
o Framework of organs: spleen, lymph node,
bone marrow
o Constitute network around parenchymal cells
like liver, endocrine glands

 Major polysaccharide component are

glycosaminoglycans
o The major are chondroitin sulfate, keratan 3. Elastic fibers
sulfate, heparan sulfate and hyaluronic acid  Appear yellowish in fresh preparation
 Important property  Occur in bundles
of hyaluronic acid is
 Tendency to branch which may rejoin to
its high viscosity
form a loose network
which is a
 Consists of a core of elastin surrounded by
significant barrier to
the microfibril fibrillin (protein in nature)
the spread of
bacteria  Resistant to boiling, acids and alkali
  Not digested by gastric juice but digestible by o CT – histiocytes
pancreatic juice due to the enzyme elastase o Liver – Kupffer cells
 Stains poorly with ordinary stains o Lung – alveolar macrophages
 Found in CT of alveolar septa, the aorta, o Bone – osteoclasts
large arteries o Glomerulus – mesangial cells
o CNS – microglial cells
o Skin – Langerhans cells
o Lymph node – Dendritic cells
 Function
o Phagocytosis
o Antigen processing and antigen
presentation
o Secretory cell
c. Cells 5. Neutrophils
1. Mesenchymal cells  Rarely found in normal CT but they are found in
 CT develop from the embryonic tissue called great numbers at sites of inflammation
mesenchyme  Most predominant phagocytic cells in the
 Mesenchymal cells are small fusiform or peripheral blood
stellate cells 6. Eosinophils
 Pluripotential cells which give rise to other  Normal constituents of the CT, more numerous
cell types as need arises in the CT of the nasal cavity, lungs, skin and
lamina propria of the intestine
 Attracted to site of histamine release and are
more responsive to parasitic infestation
 EBP toxic to parasites
7. Lymphocytes
 Small numbers in the CT throughout the body
but they are more abundant in the stroma of
2. Fibroblasts lymphoid organs and lymphoid nodules
 Fusiform cells with long tapering ends or  Principal cells of the lymphoid system
they may be flattened, stellate cells with  T and B lymphocytes
several slender processes 8. Plasma cells
 Nucleus is large, elongated, pale staining  Widely distributed in CT
with 1 or 2 nucleoli  Arise from proliferation of B lymphocytes
 Found along bundles of collagen fibers  Spherical or ovoid cells with eccentrically
 Function: production of CT fibers and ground located nucleus in which chromatin are arranged
substance in a spokes of a wheel pattern
 Synthesize antibodies
9. Mast cells
 Largest of the free cells of the CT
 Oval to spherical; nucleus is pale and small;
cytoplasm with numerous basophilic granules
 Numerous along the course of blood vessels and
beneath the epithelium of RT and GIT
3. Adipose cells or fat cells
 Fixed cells of the CT * Mast Cells and Basophils
specialized for the  Cytoplasmic granules contain important
synthesis and storage vasoactive amines like histamine
of lipids  Effects of histamine
 Cell contains a single o vasodilation
large lipid droplet or o increased vascular permeability
fat vacuole that pushes o smooth muscle contraction
the nucleus towards the
periphery (signet-ring appearance)
4. Macrophages
 Principal cells of the mononuclear phagocytic
system
 Arise from monocytes, circulate in the blood,
migrate to the tissues and differentiate into
macrophages
 Nucleus is oval or kidney-shaped, dark-
staining
 Cytoplasm contains numerous granules and
storage vacuoles
 Macrophages in different location:
o Blood – monocytes
 o capsules around joints
o tunica albuginea of testes
o dura mater of the brain
o sheaths of nerves and tendons

TWO TYPES OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE

 Loose connective tissue
 Dense connective tissue
b. Dense Regular
A. Loose Connective Tissue (Areolar)  Collagen fibers are oriented parallel to one
 CT fibers are moderately abundant and loosely another or in ordered arrangement
interwoven  Tendons
 The most widespread of the CT o CT connecting muscles to bone
o Supports the epithelial parenchyma of the  Aponeurosis
major organs o CT connecting muscle to muscle
o The tissue through which blood vessels are  Ligaments
distributed o CT connecting bone to bone
o Occupies the spaces around and between the  Cornea of the eyes
muscles
o Underlies the mesothelium lining body
cavities
Variant Types of Loose CT
a. Reticular CT
 dominant fibrous component are argyrophilic
reticular fibers (type III collagen)
 reticular cells are stellate with slender radiating
processes
 forms the stroma of the bone marrow and the
spleen, lymph nodes, thymus
b. Mucous CT
 presence of large amounts of amorphous
ground substance that is rich in hyaluronic acid
 cells are fibroblasts and few macrophages Big dreams and tasks begin with small steps --- what
 rare in adults can you do today?
 common in the embryo; it is the principal
component of the umbilical cord (Wharton’s
jelly)
Wharton’s jelly

B. Dense Connective Tissue

 Very abundant fibrous components and
relatively few cells
 2 types
o Dense irregular CT
o Dense regular CT
a. Dense Irregular
 Collagen bundle fibers are randomly oriented
 Found in the:
o dermis of the skin
o capsules of the spleen, liver and lymph
nodes