THE CONNECTIVE
Cells
TISSUE
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
➢ Is one of the four tissues found in the human
body.
➢ Provides a matrix that supports and
physically connects other tissues and cells
together to form the organs of the body.
➢ Is found in between other tissues
everywhere in the body, including the
nervous system.
➢ Composed of cells and an extracellular
matrix that binds the cells and organs,
integrating all parts of the body.
FUNCTIONS OF THE CONNECTIVE
TISSUES:
1. Protect - from further damage to injury by
repairing and healing wounds.
(Loose type ct)
2. Support – storage of fats and minerals
(calcium in bones, fats in adipose tissues)
3. Bind – tissues and organs
4. Transport – by exchange of metabolites
between blood & tissues.
5. Immunity – defense reactions (wbc,
macrophages, and lymphocytes)
Mesenchymal cells - are undifferentiated and have
large nuclei, with prominent nucleoli and fine
chromatin. They are “spindle-shaped”.
COMPONENTS OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE:
Matrix
Ground substance
Fibers
• Epithelial tissue - lines surfaces In the body
• Muscle tissue - is made up of fibers that
contract
• Nervous tissue - consists of cells with
projections that transmit electrical signals
• Loose connective tissue - acts as padding
under skin and elsewhere.
• Bone and cartilage - are connective tissues
made up of cells in a hard or stiff extracellular
matrix.
• Blood - is a connective tissue made up of
cells in a liquid matrix.
TYPES OF CONNECTIVE CELLS:
1. FIXED CELLS - production and maintenance
of ECM. Storage for reserve fuels.
▪ Fibroblasts
▪ Fixed macrophage
▪ Fats / Adipose cells
▪ Reticular cells
▪ Undifferentiated and mesenchymal
cells
2. FREE MOBILE OR WANDERING CELLS - short
term tissue reactions to injuries.
▪ Macrophages
▪ Eosinophils
▪ Lymophand cells
▪ Plasma cells
▪ Mast cells
CLASSES OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE:

1. Connective tissue proper MAST CELLS

• Dense connective tissue – “rope-like”
- Are oval or irregularly shaped cells of
structures. Less flexible and more
connective tissue, between 7 and 20
resistant to stress
μm in diameter.
• Loose connective tissue - serves as a
supporting matrix for the blood Function:
vessels, lymphatic vessels, nerves,
muscle fibers, organs, and the skin. A partial list of molecules released from these cells’
2. Cartilage secretory granules includes the following:
3. Bone ➢ Heparin
4. Blood ➢ Histamine
➢ Eosinophil and neutrophil chemotactic
FIBROBLASTS factors
➢ Cytokines
- Produce and maintain most of the ➢ Phospholipid
tissue’s extracellular components.
- Synthesize and secretes collagen and PLASMA CELLS
elastin. - Their average life span is only 10-20
ADIPOCYTES days.

- These large, mesenchymally derived LEUKOCYTES

cells are specialized for cytoplasmic - Is a colorless cell which circulates in
storage of lipid as neutral fats, or less the blood and body fluids and is
commonly for the production of heat. involved in counteracting foreign
substances and disease; a white
MACROPHAGES & THE MONONUCLEAR (blood) cell.
PHAGOCYTE SYSTEM

- A typical macrophage measures TYPES OF WHITE BLOOD CELLS

between 10 and 30 μm in diameter (LEUKOCYTES):
and has an eccentrically located, oval 1. Monocyte
or kidney-shaped nucleus. 2. Eosinophil
3. Basophil
4. Neutrophil
5. Lymphocytes
THE THREE MAIN TYPES OF FIBERS ARE: • Glycosaminoglycans (GAGS)
- Are long polymers of repeating
COLLAGEN disaccharide units, usually a
hexosamine and uronic acid.
- Constitute a family of proteins - The largest and most ubiquitous GAG
selected during evolution for their is hyaluronan (also called
ability to form various extracellular hyaluronate or hyaluronic acid).
fibers, sheaths, and networks, all of
which extremely strong and resistant • Proteoglycans
to normal shearing and tearing - Are GAG’s that are covalently
forces. attached to a ‘core’ protein.
- Is a key element of all connective
tissues, as well as epithelial • Multiadhesive glycoproteins
basement membranes and the
external laminae of muscle and nerve LOOSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE LOCATION
cells. AND FUNCTION:
1. Areolar connective tissue
• Type I – most common 90% (bone,
- Attaches epithelium to the
skin, tendons, ligaments, cornea)
underlying tissues
• Types I, II, III, V and IX - fibrillar
- Provides oxygen and nutrients to the
• Types V & VI - networks in the basal
epithelium
lamina
• Type VI – anchor basal lamina of skin
Location:
to underlying connective tissue.
Beneath the epithelial tissue
RETICULAR FIBERS
2. Adipose connective tissue
- Consist mainly of collagen type III,
- Cushions and insulates the organs
which forms an extensive network
- Stores lipid
(reticulum) of thin (diameter 0.5-2
μm) fibers for the support of many
Location:
different cells.
Around the organs and under the skin
GROUND SUBSTANCE
3. Reticular connective tissue
- Is an amorphous gel-like substance in
- Forms the structural framework of
the extracellular space.
the soft organs

Location:
The ground substance of the ECM is a highly Around the kidney, liver, and spleen
hydrated (with much bound water), transparent,
complex mixture of three major kinds of
macromolecules:
RETICULAR TISSUE 3 TYPES OF CARTILAGE:

- A specialized loose connective tissue 1. Hyaline cartilage

with reticular cells that form a fine - Most common
matrix of reticular fibers. Provides a - Matrix contains fine collagenous
structural framework for fibers
hematopoietic organs such as bone (Glassy, white, opaque)
marrow and spleen.
Found in:
• Dense regular connective tissue - oriented in ▪ Nose End of long bones
parallel arrays. ▪ Ribs
• Dense irregular connective tissue - collagen ▪ Rings of trachea
bundles are present without apparent
orientation. 2. Elastic cartilage
- Contains elastic and collagenous
fibers
ELASTIC CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Found in:
- Is a modified dense connective tissue ▪ Outer ear
that contains numerous elastic fibers
in addition to collagen fibers, which 3. Fibrocartilage
allows the tissue to return to its - Matrix contains strong collagenous
original length after stretching. fibers
- Function: absorbs shocks and
reduces friction between joints
MUCOUS TISSUE
Found in:
- Connective tissue is the principal ▪ Pads between vertebrae
component of the fetal umbilical ▪ Knee joints
cord, where it is referred to as
Wharton’s jelly.

CARTILAGE

- The cell (chondrocytes) lies in small

chambers called lacunae.
- Matrix is solid yet flexible
- Lacks direct blood supply, as a result,
it heals slowly