CONNECTIVE TISSUE

This type of tissue is

the most abundant,
widespread, and
varied of all tissue
types in the body. It
also has the widest
variety of functions.
Connective tissue, such as loose or aereolar tissue,
can function to bind structures together, hold organs in
place or separate structures.
Connective tissue such as adipose (fat) tissue serves
as a storage site for lipids (fats & oils), surrounds and
protects internal organs, and provides an insulating
layer to aid in body temperature regulation.
Other connective tissue such as blood helps to
connect (in a communication sense) one part of the
body to another, transport substances, fight infection,
or aid in tissue repair.
For our purposes, the connective tissues we
examine all function either to provide support,
physically connect or anchor one structure to
another, or serve as a framework. These
tissues will be:
Tendon Ligament
Hyaline Cartilage
3 Types of Cartilage
Tissue

Fibrous Cartilage or
Elastic Cartilage Fibrocartilage
 2 Types of Bone Tissue
Compact Bone or Cancellous or
Cortical bone Spongy Bone
Spongy Bone Compact Bone
No matter what the tissue, one characteristic
common to all connective tissue is that it is
composed mostly of an intercellular material
called matrix.

matrix

matrix
matrix
matrix

matrix
Tissue cells are then contained in this
intercellular matrix but are "far" apart,
relatively speaking.
cells

matrix

matrix
matrix
matrix

matrix
 Bone Cells or Osteocytes

Examples of cells found

in various connective
tissues.

Cartilage cells or Chondrocytes Tendon cells or Fibroblasts

It is actually the composition of this matrix which
gives each type of connective tissue its individual
characteristics. Matrix itself is actually composed of
two different things. These are protein fibres and
ground substance.

ground
substance

protein
fibres
Ground Substance is described as an amorphous
(shapeless or formless), extracellular material which
serves as a diffusion medium in the spaces around the
cells and fibers, and it plays a major role in
determining the physical nature of a connective tissue.

ground
substance
Ground substance can range in consistency from
liquid, as in blood,

where the matrix is plasma and the ground

substance is actually dilute saltwater,
 to gel-like, as in cartilage

where the matrix can be collagen or elastic fibers in a ground

substance called chondroitin sulfate,
 or to solid, as in bone

where the matrix is collagen fibers in a mineral called hydroxyapatite,

which is a form of calcium phosphate, Ca3(PO4)2
The fibres consist of long protein molecules that are
embedded in the ground substance. They are
produced by the tissue cells which are themselves
contained within the matrix. There are two types of
fibres contained in the connective tissue we will
study collagen fibers made from collagen or
tropocollagen molecules and elastic fibers made
from elastin molecules.
Collagen molecules form protein fibers which have a white
color to the unaided eye, so we call them "white fibers." They
are the major structural protein in the human body. In tissue
the collagen fibers come together to form large bundles.
Collagen fibers are only slightly flexible; they have great
tensile strength, and are not very elastic.
The collagen molecule is a triple helix formed by three
extended protein chains that wrap around one another.
Many rod-like collagen molecules are cross-linked
together in the extracellular space to form collagen
fibrils (top) that have the tensile strength of steel.
Elastin molecules form protein fibers which have a
yellowish or ivory color to the unaided eye, so we call
them "yellow fibers." In tissue the elastin molecules
often form large "web-like" structures. Elastic fibers
are highly elastic and more flexible than collagen.
However, they have much less tensile strength.
Elastin polypeptide chains are cross-linked together to
form rubberlike, elastic fibers. Each elastin molecule
uncoils into a more extended conformation when the
fiber is stretched and will recoil spontaneously as soon
as the stretching
force is relaxed.