Connective Tissue

General Information
Types and functions:
Loose connective tissue: fat, areolar insulation, protection Dense Connective: Ligaments and tendons binding and support Cartilage protection, support Bone - support Blood- transportation

Common Characteristics
All Connective tissue share the following characteristics, despite the variety.
Develop from the same embryonic tissue Composed of many different types of cells within the tissue. Contains extracellular matrix Great variation in the amount of blood supply (vascularization)

Extracellular Matrix
Extracellular matrix is the substance that connective cells are embedded within. Made of nonliving material called ground substance.
Can be liquid, gel-like, semi-solid or hard. Texture depends on amount of cell adhesion proteins: proteoglycans which trap water forming a gel. More proteins, more solid ground substance.

Contains fibers that provide great strength, or flexibility, or both. Extracellular matrix allows Conn. Tissue to bear weight, mechanical abuse protects!!

Dense connective tissue, lots of fibers, little open space.

Lots of ground substanc e fewer fibers

Fibers
Fibers are embedded in ground substance to add strength/flexibility. Collagen: stronger than steel of the same size. STRENGTH! Elastic: allows tissue to stretch and recoil. FLEXIBLE! Reticular: delicate, forms nets that support free cells.

Collagen

Elastic

Reticular

Cells in Matrix
Cells in connective tissue make and maintain the ground substance and fibers. Each type of conn. Tissue have immature and mature forms of these cells. Immature cells have suffix -blast actively produce matrix. Mature cells have suffix -cyte maintain health of matrix, reverting to blasts to regenerate matrix after injury.
Fibroblasts make conn. Tissue/fibers Chondroblasts make cartilage, Osteoblasts make bone Hematopoeitic stem cells make blood

Cells in Matrix
Other cells present:
White blood cells (macrophages, plasma cells) responsible for immune response Mast cells responsible for inflammation following injury or infection.

Loose Connective Tissue

Areolar most widely distributed type.
Serves as packing material cushioning organs, subcutaneous, attaches skin to muscle. Contains all three fibers Gelatinous Very loosely packed, lots of liquid Swells during inflammation (edema)

Loose Continued
Adipose = Fat!
Loosely packed with little matrix 90% of tissue is adipocytes Most of each cell is a fat droplet Nutrient storage, cushioning. Richly vascularized Develops within areolar tissue/subcutaneous
18% of an average persons weight 50% of chubby person

Adipose

Adipose

Loose Continued
Reticular
Only contains reticular fibers. VERY DELICATE a fine net of fibers. Supports free blood cells. Found in lymph nodes, bone marrow. REALLY TINY!

Dense Connective Tissue

Dense Regular Tendons and Ligaments
Fibers are the primary component. Little ground substance, lots of fibroblasts Regular, parallel bundles of collagen fibers Resist pull and stretching. Ligaments connect bone to bone Tendons connect muscle to bone.

Dense Regular

Dense continued
Dense Irregular
Fibers run in different directions. Tissue is found where tension is applied in different directions Example: Dermis of skin

Dense Regular

Dense Irregular

Cartilage
Characteristics
Resists tension and pressure Tough and flexible No nerves or blood vessels Lots of collagen and elastic fibers, high content of proteoglycans. 80% water Chondroblasts make matrix until end of human adolescence. Mature Chondrocytes found in cavities called lacunae (pit)

Hyaline Cartilage
Looks glassy (hyalin = glass) Few chondrocytes, all located in lacunae Mostly matrix lots of collagen Reduces friction, absorbs pressure Covers ends of bones, connects ribs to sternum, forms rings in trachea and bronchi

Elastic Cartilage
Looks almost identical to hyaline Matrix appears more fibrous Many more elastic fibers makes it very flexible. Found in nose, ear and epiglottis

Fibrocartilage
Very tough, almost like bone Consists of rows of chondrocytes and collagen fibers Withstands great pressure Found in intervertebral discs.

Fibrous Cartilage

Bone
Most supportive tissue in body. Matrix is composed of collagen fibers surrounded by calcium salts. Osteoblasts make collagen fibers and calcium salts deposited between fibers. Well vascularized Osteocytes stored in lacunae Bone marrow stores fat and makes blood cells.

Osteocytes

Blood
Atypical connective tissue Only classified as such because it arises from same embryonic tissue Blood cells are within a matrix of blood plasma. Fibers apparent only when blood clots.