Basra University College of science and Technology

Pharmacy department

HISTOLOGY LABORATORY

Title of Report :-
Connective tissue
Students Names :
‫علي ماجد محمد‬
‫محمد شاكر عبد الواحد‬
‫نورا مقداد عوده‬
‫بسمة فارس طاهر‬
‫مسرات احمد شهاب‬
‫االء عبد الكريم موسى‬
‫لبنى هارون عبد النبي‬

Supervised by:
 Dr: Zainab safaa
Connective Tissue is one of the four major types of tissue in the human body,
which support, connect or separate different types of tissues and organs. This
tissue develops from the mesoderm. The other three types are epithelial tissue,
muscle tissue, and nerve tissue. It is found among other tissues anywhere in the
body, including the nervous system. In the central nervous system, the three outer
membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord (meninges) are made up of
connective tissue.

Connective cells differ greatly from the

epithelial and nervous and muscle
tissues, in the last three tissues the cells
are located close together. While in the
connective tissues they are spaced apart,
separated by a large amount of extra
cellular material, also called matrix, its
material The interstitium is abundant,
its cells are few, scattered and varied. The epithelial tissues are also characterized
as vascular, except for the cartilage.
The extracellular spaces in connective tissues are large and contain blood vessels.
In connective tissues, the extracellular space is called the extracellular matrix
because it is produced from specialized cells accumulating in place. These
products include protein fibers and ground material (a mixture of various
chemicals).
The matrix. The matrix includes all the materials surrounding a cell. The matrix
consists of protein fibers and the floor material (both produced from specialized
cells): the ground material is a mixture of mucopolysaccharides, glycoproteins and
other materials, and it is a non-gelatinous material, and it may be solid as in

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cartilage or calcified as in bone When it is gelatinous, it allows materials to pass
through it between cells and blood, and when it is solid, it is the structural support
of the body.

The key components of these materials that make up the ground

include:

1. hyaluronic acid is a viscous fluid in the intrinsic connective tissues

2. Chondroitin sulfate is the gelatinous substance of cartilage
3. hydroxyapatite which forms the solid bedrock of bone.

• Protein fibers are buried in the ground material of the various connective tissues
that provide support and flexibility. They are of three types:

1- Collagen: strong and elastic fibers, the inelastic fibers consist of protein
collagen, appearing in the slices dyed large and in pink color
2- Elastic: strong, stretchy elastin fibers that appear very thin and darker in color
in dyed slices
3- Reticulum: Low-branched fibers to form a network for support and appear in
dyed slices when using silver, refer to the details on the following pages

• Connective tissue can generate a range of mechanical strengths.

The mechanical strength of connective tissue varies widely, from the stiffness and
hardness of bone to the squishiness of many organs. In between are types of
connective tissue with different mechanical properties. Tendons resist tension and
do not stretch making them ideal for linking muscle to bone. Cartilage resists

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compression. Large blood vessels can withstand stretch and recoil in response to
changes in blood pressure. All of these mechanical properties are mediated by
connective tissue.

• Connective tissue resists tension and compression.

There are several important molecules that allow connective tissue to generate
different mechanical properties. In general, these molecules either resist tensile and
stretching forces or compressing forces. Collagen is the main component that resist
tension. Elastin also resist tension but behaves similar to rubber in that it can be
stretched and will recoil after the force is removed. On the other side are
glycosaminoglycans that resist compressive forces. Glycosaminoglycans are long
sugar polymers that occupy large volumes within connective tissue

Connective tissue serves a number of important functions.

It provides mechanical support to tissues and organs allowing them to resist
tension and compression. It organizes cells into tissues by binding to surface
receptors on cells and regulating their growth and morphology. It provides
metabolic support in the form of growth factors, hormones, and high energy lipids
through blood vessels. It
contains a variety of cells
that generate immune
responses to foreign cells.
These functions tend to be
exclusive so that connective
tissue that is mechanically

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robust offers less metabolic and immune support. In contrast, connective tissue that
provides metabolic and immune support tends to be weaker.

GENERAL COMPOSITION of connective tissues:

1. Cells

2. Intercellular substance
a. fibers
b. amorphous ground substance

TYPES of connective tissues:

1. Connective tissue propper
a. loose connective tissue
b. dense connective tissue
- regular
- irregular
2. Connective tissue with special properties
a. elastic
b. reticular
c. adipose
d. embryonic – mesenchymal, mucous
3. Supporting connective tissue
a. cartilage
b. bone tissue
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS:
1. fixed: fibroblasts – fibrocytes; reticular, pigment, fat cells (adipocytes)
2. free: macrophages, plasma cells, mast cells, leucocytes

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INTERCELLULAR SUBSTANCE composition:
1. Fibers: collagen, reticular, elastic

2. Amorphous ground substance: viscous, transparent Contains: water, ions; GAG,

PG, SGP

Connective Tissue Diseases:

 Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the

most common connective tissue diseases and can be inherited. RA
is an autoimmune disease, meaning the immune system attacks its
own body. In this systemic disorder, immune cells attack and
inflame the membrane around joints. It also can affect the heart,
lungs and eyes. It affects many more women than men (an
estimated 71% of cases).
 Scleroderma: An autoimmune condition that causes scar tissue to
form in the skin, internal organs (including the GI tract), and small
blood vessels. It affects women three times more often than men
throughout life, occurring at a rate of 15 times greater for women
during childbearing years.
 Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA, formerly called
Wegener’s): A form of vasculitis (inflammation of the blood
vessels) that affects the nose, lungs, kidneys and other organs.
 Churg-Strauss Syndrome: A type of autoimmune vasculitis that
affects cells in the blood vessels of the lungs, gastrointestinal
system, skin and nerves.