Connective tissues connects the
epithelial tissues to the rest of the
body other types if connecti
Functions
protection for delicate organs
fluid & dissolved minerals transportation
structure for body
support, surround, interconnect tissues
defence against invasion of microorganisms
store energy reserves (via triglycerides)
THREE components
fluid known
as ground
substance
extracellular fibres and ground
substance make up matrix
(surrounds cells — makes up bulk of
connective tissue) occur throughout
body, but is never exposed to
outside environment they are
vascular (have many blood vessels)
have sensory pain, temp, pressure
receptors
fills spaces between cells and surrounds
connective tissue fibres in connective
tissue proper — ground substance is clear,
colourless, discuss due to proteoglycans
and glycoproteins viscous bc bacteria have
trouble moving about — makes them
slower so phagocytes can catch them
extracellular
protein fibers
specialized calls
Classification of connective tissues
Connective tissue proper —
tissues with many type of cells
and extracellular fibers in a
syrupy ground substance
loose connective (ADIPOSE/FAT) — more ground substance, less fibres
Areolar tissue — least specialized
connective tissue in adults contain all
cells and fibers of any connective
tissue proper in loosely organized
fashion — can distort w/o damage
open framework viscous ground
substance provides most of volume
and absorbs shocks return to original
state after stretching separates skin
from deeper structure capillaries in
tissue deliver OXYGEN and
NUTRIENTS and remove carbon
dioxide and waste epithelium cover
areola tissue and fibrocytes maintain
the layer of basement membrane
that separates the two kind of tissues
epithelium tissue require oxygen
from the underlying connective
tissue
Adipose (fat) tissue — adipocytes (fat cells) are
most volume of adipose tissue — extract blood
glucose after meals provides: padding, absorbs
shocks, insulates (slows heat lost from skin)
common under skin of flanks (b/w last rib and
hips), butts and breasts fills eye sockets and
surrounds kidneys common under mesothelial
lining of pericardial and peritoneal cavities
adipocytes cannot divide in adults, their #s first
established in newborns expand to store fat —
shrink as fats are released Loose connective
tissue have mesenchymal cells that will divide
and allow for regeneration of adipose tissue and
when more storage is needed white fat — most of
adipose tissue — white, yellowish colour brown
fat (common in kids, dissipates overtime)— highly
vascularized and adipocytes have mitochondria
— deep, rich colour adipocytes are metabolically
active cells — their lipids are being broken down
and their fatty acids support metabolism — used
as energy animals with brown fat can oxidize an
3. Reticular Tissue — reticular
fibers form a complex 3D stroma
spleen and liver made of this
tissue stroma supports
functional cells, or parenchyma,
of these organs fibrous
framework found in lymph
nodes and bone marrow fixed
macrophages, fibroblasts,
fibrocytes are associated with
reticular fibres
dense connective (TENDONS) — more fibers, less ground substance
Dense regular connective tissue collagen
fibers parallel to one another, packed tightly,
aline with the forces applied to tissue
tendons — cords of dense regular connective
tissue that attach skeletal muscles to bones
—collagen fibers run longitudinally along the
tendon and transfer the pull of the
contacting muscle to the bone ligaments —
resemble tendons, but connect one bone to
another OR stabilize the position of internal
organs aponeurosis — tendinous sheet that
attaches a broad, flat muscle to another
muscle OR to several bones of skeleton can
stabilize the positions of tendons and
ligaments associate with large muscles of
skull, lower back, abs, and w/ the palms of
the hands and soles of feet fibroblasts are
scattered among collagen fibres of tendons,
ligaments, aponeuroses
Elastic tissue — dense regular connective tissue
made up of mainly elastic fibres elastic ligaments
dominated by elastic fibers — help stabilize
positions of vertebrae of spinal column
Dense irregular connective tisse form an
interwoven meshwork in no pattern
strengthen and support areas subjected
to stresses from many directions layer of
dense irregular connective tissue gives
skin its strength at joint, it forms sheath
around cartilages and bones also forms
thick, fibrous layer called capsule —
surrounds internal organs — liver,
spleen, kidneys, enclosing cavities of
joints dense regular and irregular have
variable amounts of elastic fibers more
elastic fibers compared to collagen fibers
means that the tissue is more springy,
resilient that allows it to withstand
extension and recoil connective tissue
with a lot of elastic fibers that supports
transitional epithelia are present in —
walls of large blood vessels like — aorta,
around respiratory passageways
have a lot of cell types, extracellular fibers and a
viscous ground substance come cells function in
local maintenance, repair and energy storage
fibroblasts, fibrocytes, adipocytes, mesenchymal
cells are permanent residents of connective
tissue macrophages, mast cells, lymphocytes,
plasma cells, microphages are mobile (migrate/
travel) cells that defend and repair damaged
tissues
Cell Populations
Fibroblasts (most abundant,
permanent) — always present in
connective tissue proper secrete
hyaluronan (help lock epithelial
tissues together) contribute to the
making of ground substance viscosity
secrete proteins that seems
extracellular fibers
Fibrocytes — second most abundant,
permanent spindle-shaped cells that
maintain connective tissue proper
Adipocytes — aka FAT cells that vary in number
depending on tissue type has a single, big lipid
droplet nucleus, organelles, cytoplasm squeezed to
one side
Melanocytes — synthesizes
and stores melanin common
in epithelium of skin where
they determine skin colour
abundant in connective
tissue of eye and dermis of
skin
Lymphocytes — migrate t/o
body via connective tissue &
others increase when there is
tissue damage can develop into
plasma cells, producing
antibodies that deadened
against disease
Mesenchymal cells — stem cells that are present in many
tissues respond to injury/ infection by dividing to produce
daughter cells that form into fibroblasts, macrophages, etc
Macrophages — large phagocytic cells throughout matrix
(not abundant) engulf damaged cells/ pathogens that enter
tissue release chemicals that activate immune system large
macrophages either — fixed macrophages (spend a long time
in tissues) OR free macrophages (migrate fast)
Mast cells — small, mobile, common near blood vessels
have Histamine (released after injury, stimulates
inflammatory effects) and Heparin (anticogulant that
enhances blood flow during inflammation and reduces
blood clots)
Microphages —
phagocytic blood cell that
moves through connective
tissue in small #s
attracted to sites of
infection or injury by
chemicals
Supporting connective tissue has
less diverse cell pop. matrix has
denser packed fibres protect soft
tissues and support weight of most
of the body types — cartilage (has
gel matrix) AND bone (matrix is
calcified bc of mineral deposits)
Fluid connective tissue —
distinct pop. of cells
suspend in watery matrix
that has dissolved proteins
Types — blood AND lymph
Connective Tissue Fibers
Collagen fibers (extremely
strong) — most common fibers
in connective tissue long,
straight, unbranched, flexible
has a bundle of fibrous protein
tendons (connect bone to
muscles)— made of mostly
collagen fibres ligaments
(connect bone to bone) —
made of collagen fibres
Elastic fibers have protein elastin
branched, wavy, return to original form
after stretching elastic ligaments
(RARE)— dominated by elastic fibers,
interconnect vertebrae
Reticular fibers have
same protein subunits
like collagen, but
ARRANGED DIFFERENTLY
thin, branching,
interwoven flexible,
tough framework, stroma
stroma stabilizes
positions of functional
cells OR parenchyma of
organs AND blood
vessels, nerves resist any
applied forces
Embryonic Connective Tissue
Mesenchyme — embryonic connective tissue
— first to appear in developing embryo has
star-shaped stem cells separate by matrix with
fine proteins filaments gives rise to other
connective tissues
Mucous connective tissue (Wharton’s
jelly) — loose connective tissue found in
many parts of embryo, including umbilical
cord
fasciae
provides internal structure of body layers of
connective tissue surround and support organs
in trunk cavities and connect them to rest of
body
Function
provide strength and stability
maintain the realties
pistons of internal organs
supply a route for distribution of blood
vessels, lymphatic vessels, nerves
Tyoes
deep fascia — interwoven dense irregular connective
tissue — makes it strong each layer if fibres run in
same direction, but orientation of fibres change in
from layer to layer — arrangement helps tissue resist
forces coming from many directions bound to
capsules, tendons and ligaments, and perichondrium
around cartilages, periosteum around bones,
connective tissue of muscle
superficial fasciae (aka hypodermis /
subcutaneous) — layer of areolar tissue
and fat separates the skin the
underlying tissues and organs provides
insulation and padding, and lets skin
and underlying structures move
independently
subserous fascia layer of areola tissue that lies b/w deep
fascia and serous membranes that line body cavities
movements of muscles/ muscular organs do not severely
distort the delicate body cavity linings