Connective Tissue

Types of Connective Tissue

• Osseous Tissue (Bone Tissue)

• Loose Connective Tissue– Areolar Tissue– Adipose Tissue– Reticular Connective Tissue

• Dense Connective Tissue

• Cartilage

• Blood

Osseous Tissue

• Hard

• Calcified matrix containing many collagen fibers

• Osteocytes lie in lacunae

• Well vascularized

Location

• Found in bones

Function

• Bone supports and protects

• Provides levers for the muscles to act on

• Stores calcium, minerals, and fat

• Marrow inside bones- site for blood cell formation

Bone Tissue

Areolar Tissue

• Gel – like matrix composed of all types of fibers

• Contains phagocytes, white blood cells

Location of Areolar Tissue

• Lamina propria is found under mucous membranes

• Internal organs

Functions of Areolar Tissue

• Wraps and cushions organs

• Phagocytes engulf bacteria

• Holds and conveys tissue fluid (water, salts, nutrients)

Areolar Tissue

Adipose Tissue

• Closely packed fat cells have nucleus pushed to the side by large fat droplet.

• Similar matrix to areolar tissue

Location of Adipose Tissue

• Under skin

• Around kidneys and eyeballs

• In bones

• Within abdomen

• In breasts

Function of Adipose Tissue

• Provides reserve food fuel

• Insulates against heat loss

• Supports and protects organs

1. Cell membrane

2. Nucleus

3. Fat vacuole

Reticular Connective Tissue

• Network of reticular fibers in a typical loose ground substance; reticular cells predominate.

Location of Reticular Tissue

• Lymphoid organs (lymph nodes, bone marrow, and spleen)

Function of Reticular Tissue

• Fibers form a soft internal skeleton (stoma) that supports other cell types (specially blood cells)

Dense Connective Tissue

• Primarily collagen fibers

• A few elastic fibers

• Major cell type is the fibroblast

Location of Dense Connective Tissue

• Tendons

• Most Ligaments

• Aponeurosis

Function of Dense Connective Tissue

• Attaches muscles to bones or muscles

• Attaches bones to bones

• Withstands great tensile stress

Dense Connective Tissue

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Cartilage

• Hyaline cartilage – abundant collagen fibers in rubbery matrix; blue-white appearance; most abundant

• Elastic cartilage – yellowish appearance

• Fibrocartilage

Location of Hyaline Cartilage

• Forms most of the embryonic skeleton

• Covers the ends of long joints in joint cavities

• Forms coastal cartilage of the ribs

• Cartilage of nose, trachea, and larynx

Location of Elastic Cartilage

• External ear • Disk between vertebrae of spinal column

Location of Fibrocartilage

Function of Cartilage Tissue

• Supports and reinforces

• Has cushioning properties

• Resists compression

Hyaline Cartilage

Vascular Tissue (Blood)

• Blood cells surrounded by blood plasma

• Fibers in blood are not visible until clotting occurs