Connective Tissue

Connective Tissue

A. Connective Tissue Proper

I. Loose (Areolar) Connective Tissue
 Forming a layer beneath the epithelial
lining of many organs and filling spaces
between fibers of muscles and nerves
 Also called as areolar  For great resistance to prolonged or
 Contains cells, fibers, and ground repeated stresses from the same
substance in roughly equal parts direction
i. Tendons
ii. Aponeuroses
iii. Ligaments

B. Embryonic Connective Tissue

I. Mesenchyme
 Sparse, undifferentiated cells
II. Dense Connective Tissue
 Uniformly distributed in matrix with
 Similar components as loose connective
sparse collagen fibers
tissue but with fewer cells (mostly
 Contains stem/progenitor cells for all
fibroblast)
adult connective tissue cells
 Clear predominance of bundled type 1
 Mesodermal layer of early embryo
collagen fibers over ground substance
1. Dense Irregular
 Bundles of collagen fibers appear
randomly interwoven, with no definite
orientation
 Deep dermis layer of skin
 Capsules surrounding most organs
 Submucosa layer of digestive tract
2. Dense Regular
 Consist mostly of type 1 collagen
bundles and fibroblast aligned in
parallel
II. Mucoid Connective Tissue  Fatty acids combine with
 Principal component of the fetal glycerol phosphate to form
umbilical cord (Wharton’s Jelly) triglycerides
 Abundant ground substance composed
chiefly of hyaluronan
 Gelatinous
 With sparse collagen fibers and
scattered fibroblast

 Adult-onset obesity
 Childhood obesity
b. Brown Adipose Tissue
 2-5% of the newborn body weight (back,
neck, and shoulders)
 Contains cells with multiple lipid droplets
interspersed among abundant
C. Specialized Connective Tissue mitochondria – brown adipocytes
I. Adipose Tissue
a. White Adipose Tissue
 Most common type of specialized for fat
storage
 Consists of cells each containing one
large cytoplasmic droplets of whitish
yellow fat – white adipocytes (also
called unilocular)
 Very large (50-150 micrometer in
diameter)  Contain many small lipid inclusion –
 Most cytoplasmic organelles are multilocular
peripheral nucleus  Small lipid droplets, abundant
 Main Functions mitochondria, and rich vasculature –
1. Storage and Mobilization of help mediated heat production and
Lipids warming the blood
a. Chylomicrons  Polygonal
b. VLDL  Smaller than white adipocyte
c. Triglycerides  Nucleus to be more centrally located
 These lipids are  Receive direct sympathetic innervation
hydrolyzed by LPP lipase  Thermogenesis
to form free fatty acids
  Sulfated GAGs on densely packed
proteoglycans
 Lacks vascular supplies
 Receives nutrients by diffusion from
capillaries in surrounding connective tissue
called perichondrium

II. Cartilage
a. Hyaline Cartilage
b. Elastic Cartilage
c. Fibrocartilage
 Tough, durable form of supporting connective
tissue
 Extracellular Matrix with high concentration of a. Perichondrium
GAGs and Proteoglycans, interacting with  A sheath of dense connective tissue
collagen and elastic fibers that surrounds cartilage
 Ideal for a variety of mechanical and  Harbors the blood supply
protective roles
 ECM has a firm consistency that allows the 1. Hyaline Cartilage
tissue to bear mechanical stresses without  Most common
permanent distortion  Homogenous and semitransparent
 Provides cushioning and sliding regions within  Adult Hyaline Cartilage
skeletal joints i. Found in articular surfaces of
 Facilitate bone movement movable joints
 Consist of chondrocytes located in matrix ii. Walls of longer respiratory passages
cavities called lacunae (nose, larynx, trachea, bronchi)
 Synthesize and maintain all ECM components iii. Ventral ends of ribs
iv. Epiphyseal plats of long bones
 Embryonic Hyaline Cartilage
i. Temporary skeleton that is gradually
replaced by bone
 Matrix
i. 40% collagen embedded in a firm,
hydrated gel of proteoglycans and
structural glycoproteins
ii. Type 2 collagen fibers
 Consist of type 2 collagen fibrils
iii. Aggrecan: most abundant
 Hyaluronan
proteoglycan
iv. Bound noncovalently with hyaluronan
 v. Chondronectin: structural multi-  Serves as very tough, yet cushioning
adhesive glycoprotein support tissue for bone
vi. Binds to GAGs, collagen, and integrin  Intervertebral discs
 Chondrocytes  Attachments of certain ligaments
i. Inside the lacunae  Pubic symphysis
ii. From chondroblasts  Chondrocytes occur singly
iii. Respire under-low tension  Often aligned isogenous aggregates
iv. Metabolized glucose mainly by  Sparse matrix
anaerobic glycolysis
v. Synthesis of GAGs and
proteoglycans are accelerated by
hormones and growth factors
vi. Somatotropin: major regulator of
hyaline cartilage growth

2. Elastic Cartilage
 Similar to hyaline cartilage except it
contains abundant network of elastic
fibers
 Yellowish in color
 More flexible than hyaline cartilage
 Auricle of the ear
 Walls of the external auditory canal
 Auditory (Eustachian) tubes
 Epiglottis
 Upper respiratory tract

3. Fibrocartilage
 Takes various forms in different
structures
 Mixing with hyaline cartilage and dense
connective tissue