CONNECTIVE TISSUES

CONNECTIVE TISSUES
1. Embryonic connective tissue
2. Connective tissue proper
3. Specialized connective tissue
1. Mesenchymal
connective tissue
2. Mucous
connective tissue
Connective Tissue Proper
1. Loose (areolar) connective tissue
2. Dense connective tissue
a. dense irregular
b. dense regular collagenous
c. dense regular elastic
3. Adipose connective tissue
4. Reticular connective tissue
5. Lymphoid (adenoid) connective tissue
Specialized Connective Tissue

1. Cartilage
a. hyaline
b. elastic
c. fibrocartilage
2. Bone
3. Blood
 CONNECTIVE TISSUE PROPER
 Composition
1. Cells
2. Extracellular matrix
a. connective tissue fibers
b. ground substance
c. tissue fluid
 Cells of the Connective Tissue
Proper
1. Fibroblasts
– fusiform in shape
– young
– exhibit synthetic
activity
2. Fibrocytes
– mature
– smaller than the
fibroblasts
3. adipose (fat) cells
– store fat
– may occur singly or in group
– protective packing material in or around organs
4. histiocytes
– macrophages  phagocytic

5. mast cells
– synthesize and release heparin and histamine

6. plasma cells
– arise from B lymphocytes
– synthesize and secrete antibodies

7. other white blood cells

Fibers of the Connective Tissue Proper
1. Collagen
– most abundant - not branched
– exhibit great tensile - function: strong support
strength
2. Elastic
– thin and small
– branching
– can be stretched
– can recoil without
deformation
– function: stretching
without breaking
or distortion
3. Reticular
– reticular fibers
– thin and form
delicate net-like
framework
– function: provide
support for
capillaries, nerves,
and muscle cells
 Ground Substance
- amorphous,
transparent, and
colorless
- semifluid gel with high
water content
- surrounds the cells and
fibers of the connective
tissue
- function : facilitates
diffusion
 TYPES OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE PROPER

1. Loose (areolar) CT

• cells: fibroblasts,
histiocytes, mast cells,
adipose cells,
(eosinophils and
lymphocytes)

• fibers: collagen,
elastic and reticular

• rich in blood vessels

2. Adipose CT
• cells: adipose cells/ fat cells/ adipocytes
• fibers: collagen and elastic
3. reticular CT
• cells: reticular cells
• fibers: reticular
4. Dense CT
a. regular collagenous/ fibrous CT
• locations: tendons, ligaments, and aponeuroses
• cells: fibroblasts
• fibers: collagen (compact and parallel)
b. regular elastic CT
• cells: fibroblasts
• fibers: coarse elastic fibers; few collagen fibers
• ground substance: scanty, with few very small blood vessels
c. dense irregular
• cells: fibroblasts (few)
• fibers: collagen (randomly arranged)
• location: dermis of the skin
 CARTILAGES
1. hyaline cartilage
 matrix: homogenous
(ground glass
appearance)
 isogenous group
present
 perichondrium
present
 location: trachea,
articular surfaces of
bones, ends of ribs,
nose, larynx, and the
bronchi
 function: provides
important structural
and flexible support
2. elastic cartilage
 fibers: elastic
 perichondrium present
 isogenous group present
 function: allows increased
flexibility and support to
the organs
 location: external ear,
walls of the auditory tube,
epiglottis, and larynx
3. fibrocartilage
 irregular dense bundle of
collagen fibers
 collagen fibers: parallel
arrangement
 chondrocytes: small and
usually distributed in
rows within the fibrous
matrix
 isogenous group absent
 no visible or identifiable
perichondrium
 all chondrocytes and
lacunae are of similar size
 BONE
• mineralized
• functions in hematopoiesis
• reservoir for calcium, phosphate and
other minerals
 calcium
 muscle contraction
 blood coagulation
 cell membrane permeability
 transmission of nerve impulses
• dynamic structures
• Bone Cells

1.osteogenic / osteoprogenitor
• undifferentiated, pleuripotential stem cells derived
from CT mesenchyme
• proliferate by mitosis and differentiate into
osteoblasts

2.osteoblasts
• immature bone cells on tissue surfaces
• functions: synthesize, secrete, and deposit organic
components of new bone matrix called osteoid
3. osteocytes
• main cells of the bone
• trapped in lacunae
• function: maintenance of the bone matrix

4. osteoclasts
• large, multinucleated cells found along bone surfaces
where resorption, remodelling and repair take place
• originate from the fusion of the circulating blood
monocytes