Tissue is a group of cells that usually have a common origin in an embryo and function together to carry out

specialized activities.

Histology ( histo = tissue; logy = study of) is the science that deals with the study of tissues.

Pathologist (patho = disease) is a physician who examines cells and tissues to help other physicians make
accurate diagnosis. A pathologist examine tissues for any changes that might indicate disease.

Four Basic Types of Tissue

Epithelial Tissue
Connective Tissue
Muscular Tissue
Nervous Tissue

Epithelial vs Connective Tissues

Connective tissue is one of the most abundant and widely distributed tissues in the body.
Unlike Epithelial tissue, connective tissue is highly vascular; rich blood supply except for cartilage which is
avascular, and tendons with a scanty blood supply
Connective and Epithelial tissue are supplied with nerves except for Cartilage

Functions of Connective Tissue

Enclosing and Separating other Tissues - sheets of connective tissue form capsules around organs,
such as the liver and the kidneys. Also forms layers that separate tissues and organs. Separate muscles,
arteries, veins, and nerves from one another
Connecting Tissues to one another - tendons are strong cables or bands of connective tissue that attach
muscle to bones; and, ligaments are connective tissue bands that hold bones together
Supporting and Moving Parts of the Body - bones of the skeletal system provide rigid support for the
body, and semirigid cartilage supports structures such as the nose, the ears, and the surfaces of joints.
Joints between bones allow one part of the body to move
Storing Compounds - adipose tissue(fat) stores high-energy molecules, and bones store minerals such as
calcium and phosphate
Cushioning and Insulating - adipose tissue cushions and protects the tissue it surrounds and provides an
insulating layer beneath the skin that helps conserve heat
Transporting - blood transport gases, nutrients, enzymes, hormones, and cells of the immune system
Protecting - cells of the Immune System and blood provide protection against toxins and against
microorganisms; Bones protect underlying structures from injury

General Features of Connective Tissue

Connective Tissue consist of 2 basic elements
Extracellular Matrix and Cells
 material located between its widely spaced cells
consist of protein fibers and ground substance
protein fibers are secreted are secreted by
connective tissue cells
The structure of the ECM determines much of the tissue qualities. For instance, in cartilage, the
ECM is firm but pliable. In bone, the ECM is hard and inflexible
Ground substance
component of a connective tissue between cells and fibers
it may be fluid, semifluid, gelatinous, or calcified
it supports cells, bind them together, stores water, and provides a medium for exchange of
substances between the blood and cells.
contains water and polysaccharides and proteins;
polysaccharide glycosaminoglycans (hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate,
keratan sulfate) GAG trap water making the ground substance jelly like.
Hyaluronic acid viscous slippery substance that bind cells together, lubricates joints, and
helps maintain shape of the eyeballs
Chondroitin sulfate provides support and adhesiveness in cartilage, bone, skin, and blood
vessels
Fibronectin main adhesion protein attach fibers to ground substance and attach cells to
ground substance
Fibers
strengthen and support connective tissues
three types of fibers are embedded in the ECM Collagen fibers; Elastic Fibers, and Reticular Fibers
1. Collagen Fibers
very strong and resisting pulling forces (tension)
they are not stiff, which allows tissue flexibility
often occur in parallel bundles that adds great tensile strength
found in most types of connective tissues especially bone, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments
Tendons attach muscle to bone
Ligaments attach bone to bone
Collagen type 1 most common
Collagen type 4 sheath forming; present in basal lamina
2. Elastic Fibers
Smaller in diameter than collagen fibers
Branch and join together to form a fibrous network
Consist of protein elastin
Strong but can be stretched up to 150% without breaking
Exhibit a property called elasticity
Elasticity Ability to return to their original shape after being stretched. Plentiful in skin,
blood vessel wall, lung tissue
3. Reticular Fibers
thinner than collagen fibers and form branching networks
plentiful in reticular connective tissue which forms the stroma of soft organs like spleen and
lymph nodes
Stroma supporting framework
 Connective Tissue Cells
The types of cells in connective tissue vary according to the types of tissue and includes the following:
Fibroblasts
Large flat cells with branching processes. Present in all general connective tissues, and usually are
the most numerous. They migrate through the connective tissues and secrete fibers and
components of the ground substance of the ECM
fibro = fibers
Macrophages
Irregular with short branching projections and are capable of engulfing bacteria and cellular debris
by phagocytosis.
Macro = Large; Phages = Eaters; develop from monocytes a type of white blood cell
Fixed Macrophage reside in a particular tissue; ex. Alveolar macrophages in the lungs or splenic
macrophages in the spleen
Wandering Macrophage move throughout the tissue and gather at sites of infection to carry on
phagocytosis (eat debris; bacteria)
Fixed Cells - Fibroblast, Adipocytes
Mobile Blood Cells
Plasma Cells
Small cells that develop from a type of white blood cell called B lymphocyte. Plasma Cells secrete
antibodies.
Antibodies proteins that attack or neutralize foreign substances in the body; important part of
the bodys immune response.
Mast Cells
They produce histamine, a chemical that dilates small blood vessels as part of the inflammatory
response.
Adipocytes
Fat cells or Adipose cells. They store trigycerides(fats)
Leukocytes
White Blood cells. Neutrophil gather at the site of infection, and Eosinophils migrate to sites of
parasitic invasions and allergic responses
Leukocytes Neutrophil (bacteria), Eosinophil(parasite), Basophil(hypersensitivity reaction),
Monocyte (allergic), Lymphocyte (viral infection)
 Embryonic Cells called mesenchymal cells give rise to the cells of connective tissue
Immature class of cells (each major type of connective tx contains an immature cell) with a name ending in
blast which means to bud or sprout.
Fibroblasts in loose and dense connective tissue
Chondroblast in cartilage
Osteoblast in Bone
Blast Cells retain the capacity for cell division and secrete the ECM that is characteristic of the tissue
Then the cell differentiate into mature cell with the names ending in cyte namely fibrocyte, chondrocyte,
and osteocytes.
Mature cells have reduced capacities for cell division and ECM formation and are mostly involved in
monitoring and Maintaining the ECM

Classification of Connective Tissue

I. Embryonic Connective Tissue
A. Mesenchyme
Mesenchyme is present primarily in the embryo, developing human from fertilization through the
first two months of pregnancy and in the fetus, the developing human from third month of
pregnancy to birth
 B. Mucous Connective Tissue

II. Mature Connective Tissue

A. Loose Connective Tissue
Fibers are loosely arranged
Types of loose connective tissue are Areolar Connective Tissue, Adipose Tissue, and Reticular
Connective tissue
1. Areolar Connective Tissue
2. Adipose tissue
Signet Ring Appearance
Surround adipose tissue major reticular fiber
 3. Reticular Connective Tissue

B. Dense Connective Tissue

Contains more fibers, which are thicker and more densely packed but have considerably fewer
cells than loose connective tissues.
3 types - Dense Regular Connective Tissue, Dense Irregular Connective Tissue, Elastic
Connective Tissue
1. Dense regular connective tissue
2. Dense irregular connective tissue
 3. Elastic connective tissue

C. Cartilage
Consist of dense network of collagen fibers and elastic fibers firmly embedded in chondroitin
sulfate a gel like component of the ground substance.
Can endure considerably more stress than loose and dense connective tissues.
The strength of cartilage is due to its collagen fibers, and its resilience (ability to assume its original
shape after deformation is due to chondroitin sulfate
Does not have nerves and blood vessels in the ECM
It does not have a blood supply because it secretes an antiangiogenesis factor (anti against; angio
vessel; genesis production) a substance that prevents blood vessel growth ( studies for cancer
treatment)
The cells of mature cartilage are called chondrocytes ( chondro = cartilage), occur singly or in
groups within spaces called lacunae ( little lakes) in the ECM.
Perichondrium ( dense irregular connective tissue) surrounds the surface of most cartilage and
contains blood vessels and nerves and is the source of new cartilage cells.
Since cartilage has no blood supply, it heals poorly following an injury
Precursor to bone; forming almost entire embryonic skeleton
3 types of cartilage hyaline, Fibrocartilage and Elastic Cartilage
1. Hyaline cartilage

2. Fibrocartilage
3. Elastic cartilage
D. Bone Tissue
Skeletal system supports soft tissues, protects delicate structures, and works with skeletal muscles
to generate movement.
Bones store calcium and phosphorus; house red bone marrow which produces blood cells; and
contain yellow bone marrow, a storage site for triglycerides
Bone tissue is classified as either compact or spongy, depending on its ECM and how cells are
organized
The basic unit of a compact bone is an osteon or haversian system
Each Osteon has four parts
Lamellae concentric rings of ECM that consist of mineral salts ( mostly calcium and
phosphates) which give bone it hardness and collagen fibers which give bone its tensile
strength
Lacunae small spaces between lamellae that contain mature bone cells called osteocytes
Canaliculi projecting from lacuna; these are networks of minute canals containing the
processes of osteocytes. Provide routes for nutrients to reach osteocytes and for wastes to
leave them
Central Canal/ haversian Canal contains blood vessels and nerves
Spongy bone lacks osteons; It consists of columns of bone called trabeculae. It contains lamellae,
lacunae, osteocytes, and canaliculi but lacks a central canal/ haversian canal.
Spaces between trabeculae are filled with red bone marrow.
Periosteum outer covering
Endosteum inner covering
E. Liquid Connective Tissue
Liquid Connective Tissue has a liquid as its ECM

1. Blood Tissue
Blood one of the liquid connective tissues has a liquid ECM called blood plasma.
The blood plasma is a pale yellow fluid that consists mostly of water + nutrients, wastes, enzymes,
plasma proteins, hormones, respiratory gases, and ions.
Suspended in the blood plasma are formed elements red blood cells ( erythrocytes), white blood
cells (leukocytes), and platelets (Thrombocytes)
RBC- transport oxygen to body cells and remove carbon dioxide
WBC involve in phagocytosis, immunity, and allergic reactions
Platelets participate in blood clotting
2. Lymph
Lymph liquid connective tissue that flows in lymphatic vessels. Consist of clear liquid ECM similar
to blood plasma but with much less protein. The composition varies from one part of the body to
another. Lymph node includes many lymphocytes