Connective Tissues (mesenchyme, CT proper, cartilage, bone, blood)
Main functions
• Binding /supporting
• Protecting ( bone, cartilage)
• Insulating (adipose)
• Transporting (blood)
Structural Elements
• Ground substance
◦Interstitial fluid + cell adhesion proteins + proteoglycans(sieve) reticular
◦Fibronectin, laminin- proteins attach cells to CT elements elastic
◦Proteoglycans - water retention in connective tissue
• Fibers (proportion is different depending on subtype )
◦Collagen - high tensile strength collagen
◦Elastic - coiled structure for stretch and cut
◦Reticular ' meshwork to support blood vessels/soft tissue
Types of connective tissue
• Mesenchyme
◦First tissue in mesoderm germ layer; other cells specialize from this
• Proper
◦ Loose
‣ areolar
• Gel-like matrix with all 3 fibers; reservoir of water/salts; prime site of edema
• fibroblasts, macrophages, mast cells, white blood cells
• Located under epithelia; cushions organs/immunity/inflammation
‣ Adipose
• Areolar modified to store nutrients in adipocytes; fuel reservoir, insulation
• Fat-filled adipocutes with displaced nuclei; cell dense
• Under skin, around kidneys/eyeballs/in bones/in abdomen
‣ Reticular
• Only reticular fibres that form soft internal skeleton supporting. free red blood cells
• Lymphoid organs (nodes, bone marrow, spleen)
◦ Dense
‣ regular- bundles of collagen running parallel to direction of pull resistant to tension)
• Tendons, ligaments, aponeuroses
• Attachment with strength
‣ irregular - thicker collagen, arranged irregularly
• Dermis, submucosa of tract, fibrous capsule of organs and joints
• Withstand multi-direction tension
‣ elastic - high content of elastic instead of collages
• Found in elastic ligaments
Main functions
• Binding /supporting
• Protecting ( bone, cartilage)
• Insulating (adipose)
• Transporting (blood)
Structural Elements
• Ground substance
◦Interstitial fluid + cell adhesion proteins + proteoglycans(sieve) reticular
◦Fibronectin, laminin- proteins attach cells to CT elements elastic
◦Proteoglycans - water retention in connective tissue
• Fibers (proportion is different depending on subtype )
◦Collagen - high tensile strength collagen
◦Elastic - coiled structure for stretch and cut
◦Reticular ' meshwork to support blood vessels/soft tissue
Types of connective tissue
• Mesenchyme
◦First tissue in mesoderm germ layer; other cells specialize from this
• Proper
◦ Loose
‣ areolar
• Gel-like matrix with all 3 fibers; reservoir of water/salts; prime site of edema
• fibroblasts, macrophages, mast cells, white blood cells
• Located under epithelia; cushions organs/immunity/inflammation
‣ Adipose
• Areolar modified to store nutrients in adipocytes; fuel reservoir, insulation
• Fat-filled adipocutes with displaced nuclei; cell dense
• Under skin, around kidneys/eyeballs/in bones/in abdomen
‣ Reticular
• Only reticular fibres that form soft internal skeleton supporting. free red blood cells
• Lymphoid organs (nodes, bone marrow, spleen)
◦ Dense
‣ regular- bundles of collagen running parallel to direction of pull resistant to tension)
• Tendons, ligaments, aponeuroses
• Attachment with strength
‣ irregular - thicker collagen, arranged irregularly
• Dermis, submucosa of tract, fibrous capsule of organs and joints
• Withstand multi-direction tension
‣ elastic - high content of elastic instead of collages
• Found in elastic ligaments
