Connective TissueBringing Us All Together!

Introduction

• Understanding our next type of tissue is a challenge because it is composed of many different things• For us to grasp the aspects of

connective tissue, we have to imagine it much like a good bowl of gumbo

Introduction

• I am not normally one for soup…• A good bowl of seafood gumbo

is one of my favorite meals• It is created from many different

ingredients coming together to make a thick and rich soup that has one defined flavor• A good bowl of gumbo is a

defined meal made of many different parts

Connective Tissue

• Connective tissues vary wildly in appearance and function, however they all contain three basic things• Specialized cells • Extracellular protein fibers• A fluid (ground substance)

• These three things can be found throughout the body performing different functions

• When we talk about the combination of extracellular fibers and ground substance together, it is referred to as the matrix• The matrix makes up the large

part of most connective tissues• This is different than epithelium

where cells make up the majority of the tissue

Connective Tissue

Types of Connective Tissue

• There are three different types of connective tissue that are in the body• These three different types of

connective tissue can be found in different parts of the body• They all have wildly different

functions and properties

Types of Connective Tissue

• Connective tissue proper contains tissues with many different cells and extracellular fibers in a syrupy ground substance• This is a very broad category that

includes two main categories• Loose connective tissue has few

supporting fibers• Dense connective tissue has

many supporting fibers

Types of Connective Tissue

• Loose connective tissue contains tissues such as adipose tissue• Adipose tissue is commonly

referred to as fat• It is commonly used as a long

term storage mechanism• It has very loose groupings of

fibers to create a very loosely bound substance

Video

• Liposuction Surgery…• Kinda gross• Not for everyone…

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLu-nbFaRW4

Types of Connective Tissue

• Dense connective tissue has a larger number of fibers that make up the matrix• Tendons and ligaments are

examples of dense connective tissue• They are tough parts of the body

that have a strong and connection with other parts of the body

Video

• Ok… this is actual surgery• Please do not watch if you do

not want to • There will be cutting into skin,

blood and stitching of broken parts• You have been warned…

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP2medWpDLE

Types of Connective Tissue

• Fluid connective tissues have a distinctive population of cells and dissolved proteins within a watery ground substance • This type of connective tissue is

circulated around the body • There are only two main types• Blood tissue• Lymph tissue

Video

• I really don’t know why I am assaulting you with gross things today• But here are some interesting

facts about blood

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlx3-1E1c8U

Types of Connective Tissue

• Supporting connective tissues are tissues that have fewer cells and more supporting fibers • Supporting connective tissues

can either help protect parts of the body or support parts of the body• The two main types are• Cartilage• Bone

Connective Tissue Proper

• Connective tissue proper can be compared to retired/elderly people from New Jersey• Other than being important

members of our community… what do they do in the winter?• Their migration is similar to

connective tissue proper• Some retired/elderly people travel

to their winter home down south• While many of them stay in New

Jersey to be near their families

Connective Tissue Proper

• Permanent residents are cells that do not migrate around the body • They are locked in location and

often deal with energy storage and local maintenance• Migratory cells move around the

body• These cells will respond to issues

in different tissues around the body

Connective Tissue Proper

• There are several different types of permanent residents• Fibroblasts numerous in the

body and are the only cells always present in it• They secrete the proteins that

and carbohydrates that create the ground substance and the extracellular protein fibers

Connective Tissue Proper

• Fibrocytes are responsible for maintaining the extracellular fibers of connective tissue proper• Adipocytes (fat cells) are

composed of a large droplet of fat and all other organelles pushed off to the side• They are used for the long term

storage of energy

• Mast cells are located near blood vessels and release histamine

Connective Tissue Proper

• Mesenchymal cells are local stem cells that can create fibroblasts, macrophages or other connective tissue cells• Melanocytes store the pigment

melanin, which helps protect against radiation

Connective Tissue Proper

• Lymphocytes migrate throughout the body defending the body against disease• Macrophages are large

amoeboid cells that engulf damaged cells or pathogens that are in the tissues• Macro – Large• Phage – Eat or Consume

Dense Connective Tissue

• In dense regular connective tissue the fibers are parallel to each other and are allied to the forces being applied to each other• Tendons connect skeletal muscles

to bone• Ligaments connect bones

together or stabilize organs• Aponeurosis is a large flat sheet

that connects to large flat muscles to bones or muscles

Dense Connective Tissue

• Dense irregular connective tissue has an interwoven network of fibers• Often will strengthen and

support an area that receives forces from all directions• This is found in the skin• Leather is an excellent example