Connective Tissue
Connective Tissue
Connective Tissue
Connective Tissue
Connective Tissue
Most diverse and abundant tissue in the body. Found in skin, membranes, muscles, bones, nerves and all internal
organs.
Different types of connective tissue are responsible for a variety of functions.
Highly vascular. Exceptions include cartilage, which is
avascular and tendons, with a scanty blood supply.
Except for cartilage, connective tissues are supplied with nerves.
Functions
Holds internal organs together and give them shape.
Connects tissues to each other;
Forms a supporting framework for the body
Transports substances throughout the body.
Defends us against microbes and other invaders.
Stores nutrients as fat
Components of Connective Tissue
Composed of extracellular matrix (ECM) (ground substance and fibers)
in which various connective tissue cells are embedded
1. Ground substance
colorless, transparent, gel-like material in which the cells and fibers of
connective tissue are embedded,
A complex mixture of glycosaminoglycans (mucopolysaccharide),
proteoglycans, and glycoproteins
2.
3.
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Embryonic Connective Tissue
Embryonic connective tissue – There are 2 types.
Mesenchyme
Irregularly shaped mesenchymal cells (stellate shaped with cytoplasmic
process) embedded in semifluid ground substance that contains delicate
reticular fibers.
gives rise to the various connective tissues in the body,
found in developing embryo and foetus.
Paucity of collagen fibers is consistent with the limited physical
stress on the growing fetus.
Mucous (Wharton’s Jelly)
Widely scattered fibroblasts embedded in viscous, jellylike ground
substance that contains fine collagen fibers
found in the umbilical cord; its ground substance is frequently referred to
as Wharton’s jelly
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Mucous/embryonic connective tissue???
An obese person has many more blood vessels than does a lean person – this can cause high blood pressure,
since the heart has to work harder.
Liposuction or suction lipectomy?
Addipose connective tissue
Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 4.12e
Dense Irregular Connective Tissue
Dense Irregular Connective Tissue
Dense regular connective tissue
• More collagen fibers, thicker & densely packed.
• Less cells (fibroblast), less ground subs. & less elastic
fibers.
• Collagen fibers are regularly arranged in compact parallel
bundles.
• Between the bundles are loose CT containing parallel rows
of fibroblast.
• Required in areas where tensile strength is needed.
• E.g. tendons, ligament & aponeurosis.
Function
allows recoil after stretching
Location
Lung tissue, walls of elastic arteries, trachea, bronchial tubes, true vocal
cords, suspensory ligaments of penis, some ligaments between
vertebrae
Elastic Connective Tissue
What type of ct?
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What type of ct?
Avascular
Contain large ratio of glycosaminoglycans to type II collagen fibers.
This permits diffusion of substances bn the blood vessels in the surrounding CT & the
chondrocytes dispersed within the matrix
Support soft tissues and assists in the development and growth of long bones. They are more
abundant in the embryo than in the adult.
Cells of Cartilage
Chondrogenic cells – stem cells.
Chondroblasts – cartilage forming cells, produce and secrete the
extracellular matrix.
Locations
Foetal skeleton
Articular cartilage of typical synovial joint, costal cartilage, epiphyseal
growth plates
Cartilages of nasal septum of nose, tracheal ring, bronchi, and larynx
(cricoid cartilage, arytenoid cartilage, thyroid cartilage)
Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 4.12h
Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Elastic Cartilage
Similar to hyaline cartilage but large number of yellow elastic fibers
Random arrangement of chondrocytes
Perichondrium present
Elastic Cartilage
Functions
Maintains shape of structure
Allows great flexibility/repeated bending (due to elastic fibres)
Never calcifies
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Fibrocartilage
Structure intermediate between hyaline cartilage and dense connective tissue
Chondrocytes arranged in parallel rows either singly or in isogenous groups
between bundles of collagen
Composed of abundant type I
all the chondrocytes and lacunae are of similar sizes
Absence of perichondrium.
Figure 4.12j
Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Cartilage- perichondrium
Perichondrium is a dense irregular connective tissue that surrounds elastic cartilage and hyaline cartilage (except the articular cartilage)
Consist of outer fibrous layer and inner cellular layer (contain chondrogenic cells and chondroblasts)
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Cartilage- perichondrium
unctions
blood vessels in the perichondrium provide oxygen and nutrients, which diffuse into the avascular cartilage
serves as a source of new chondrocytes during appositional growth and repair of cartilage
acts like a girdle to resist outward expansion when the cartilage is subjected to pressure.
Growth of cartilage
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Growth of cartilage
Cartilage cells can give rise to benign (chondroma) or malignant
(chondrosarcoma) tumors.
Compact bone
Proximal
epiphysis
Spongy bone
Endosteum
Epiphyseal
line
Periosteum Endosteum
Compact bone
Medullary
cavity
(lined by
endosteum) Yellow
Diaphysis
bone marrow
Compact bone
Periosteum
Perforating
collagen fiber
bundles
Nutrient
arteries
Distal
epiphysis
Bone (Osseous tissue)
Highly vascular
Consists of
Organic components (about 35% of the dry weight)
cells, collagen fibers (95%), and ground substance
Osteocytes— mature bone cells housed in a lacunae, non-dividing cells, maintain bone
matrix, cytoplasmic extensions pass through canaliculi in lamellae to connect to other
osteocytes
Perforating
Central (Volkmann’s) canal
(Haversian) canal
Endosteum lining bony canals
Osteon and covering trabeculae
(Haversian system)
Circumferential
lamellae
Nerve Osteocyte
within lacuna
Vein
Lamellae
Artery Central canal
Central
Canaliculi canal Interstitial
Osteocyte Lacunae lamella
in a lacuna
Structural classification of bones - Gross
Between lamellae, osteocyte lies in tiny cavities called lacunae. Osteocytes connect to each other by narrow passageways (canaliculi) containing
cytoplasmic extensions of osteocytes.
Perforating (Volkmann’s) canals lie at right angles to the central canals and connect the blood and nerve supply of the periosteum to that of the
central canals and the marrow cavity.
Structural classification of bones - Gross
Lying between the osteons are groups of incomplete lamellae called interstitial lamellae –
the remains of old osteons that have been cut through by bone remodeling.
Circumferential lamellae in the external and internal
surfaces of the layer of compact bone -resist twisting of the
entire long bone.
Figure 6.7 Microscopic structure of compact bone.
Perforating
Central (Volkmann’s) canal
(Haversian) canal
Endosteum lining bony canals
Osteon and covering trabeculae
(Haversian system)
Circumferential
lamellae
Nerve Osteocyte
within lacuna
Vein
Lamellae
Artery Central canal
Central
Canaliculi canal Interstitial
Osteocyte Lacunae lamella
in a lacuna
Bone
Compact Bone - Ground Section, unstained
Spongy (cancellous or trabeculae) bone
Consists of trabeculae surrounding many red bone marrow–filled
spaces
Does not contain osteons. Lacunae, osteocytes, canaliculi present.
Spongy (cancellous or trabeculae) bone
Forms most of the structure of short, flat & irregular bones & the interior of the
epiphyses (ends) in long bones
May consist of either woven or lamellar bone
Offer resistance along lines of stress, support and protect red bone marrow,
1.Intramembranous ossification
2.Endochondral ossifications
When ossification occurs across the epiphyseal plate, the diaphysis and epiphysis fuse and bone
growth ceases, leaving epiphyseal line (about 18 years in females and 21 years in males). Estrogen
influences the closure of the epiphyseal plate of bones
Bone grows in thickness or diameter due to the addition of new bone tissue by periosteal
osteoblasts around the outer surface of the bone (appositional growth). Long
bones lengthen by the addition of bone material on the diaphyseal side of the epiphyseal plate by
interstitial growth.
Bone Modeling and Remodeling
Vitamin A - Deficiency inhibits proper bone formation and growth, whereas an excess
accelerates ossification of the epiphyseal plates. Deficiency or excess of vitamin A results
in small stature.
Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), human growth hormone, thyroid hormones, and insulin
stimulate bone growth.
Sex hormones slow resorption of old bone and promote new bone deposition.
Exercise and Aging
Estrogen decline in postmenopausal women increases their risk of bone loss.
Estrogen replacement therapy is associated with increased risk of heart attack,
stroke, and breast cancer.
Muscle Tissue
Muscle Tissue
Specialized for contraction.
Functional features
Contractility
Long cells shorten and generate pulling force
Excitability
Electrical nerve impulse stimulates the muscle cell to contract
Extensibility
Can be stretched back to its original length by contraction of an opposing muscle
Elasticity
Can recoil after being stretched
Muscle Tissue
Functions of muscles
Producing motions.
Stabilizing body positions.
Storing and moving substances within the body.
Generating heat (thermogenesis)
Classification of Muscle Tissue
Functionally,
Voluntary
Skeletal muscle
Involuntary
Cardiac and smooth muscles
Have the intrinsic ability to initiate contraction
Contraction is stimulated by autonomic nerve
impulses, some hormones and local metabolites.
3 Types of Muscle Tissue
Skeletal muscle
attaches to bone, skin or fascia
striated with light & dark bands visible with scope
voluntary control of contraction & relaxation
Skeletal muscle fibers form by the fusion of many myoblasts, hence are multinucleated.
Skeletal Muscle Tissue
Thomas Diby 10-128
Connective Tissue Sheaths in Skeletal Muscle
Epimysium – dense regular
connective tissue that
surrounds the entire muscle.
The major vascular and
nerve supply of
the muscle penetrates the
epimysium
Locations
Skeletal muscles attached to bones (occasionally to skin, for
instance the muscles of the face involved with expression); also
found in the tongue, pharynx and upper part of the esophagus
3 Types of Muscle Tissue
Cardiac muscle
striated in appearance
involuntary control
autorhythmic because of built in pacemaker
-
1
3
5
Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 4.14b
Cardiac Muscle Tissue
Cardiac Muscle Tissue
Intercalated discs
specialized intercellular junctions connecting one cardiac muscle fibers to another
allow the electrical activity of one cardiac muscle cell to spread quickly to
adjacent muscle cells. Cells do not need to be stimulated individually
Function
Involuntary. Contracts to propel blood into circulatory system
Location
Occurs in myocardium of heart
Thomas Diby 10-139
3 Types of Muscle Tissue
Smooth muscle
attached to hair follicles in skin
in walls of hollow organs -- blood vessels & GI
nonstriated in appearance
involuntary
-
1
4
5
-
1
4
6
Transverse Tubules
-
1
4
7
-
1
4
8
Most neuronal cell bodies are located in the CNS and are
protected by the bones of the skull and vertebral column
Terminologies
Nuclei are clusters of cell bodies in the CNS, whereas
ganglia are clusters of cell bodies in the PNS, which
lie along peripheral nerves.
In the CNS, bundles of neuron processes are called tracts. In the PNS, these
bundles are called nerves.
Axodendritic
Between axon terminals of one neuron and
dendrites of another
Most common type of synapse
Axosomatic
Between axons and neuronal cell bodies
Uncommon types of synapses: Axoaxonic,
dendrodendritic, and dendrosomatic
Structural classification of Neurons
According to the number of processes extending from the cell
body
1. Multipolar neurons
Numerous dendrites
and one axon
Most abundant type –
about 99%
Classification of Neurons
2. Bipolar neurons
Rare neurons
One dendrite and one axon
Found in some special
sensory organs (inner ear,
olfactory epithelium of the
nose, retina of the eye),
where they mostly serve as
sensory neurons
Classification of Neurons
3. Unipolar (pseudounipolar)
neurons
Cell bodies in ganglia outside
the CNS
The central process runs
centrally into the CNS
The peripheral process extends
peripherally to the receptors
Start as bipolar neurons during
development
2 in the PNS
Satellite cells
Schwann cells
General functions of Supporting Cells/Glial cells
Surround neurons and hold them in place
Supply nutrients and oxygen to neurons
Insulate one neuron from another
Destroy and remove the carcasses of dead neurons (clean up)
Repair of neuronal injury,
Regulate of the internal fluid environment of the CNS,
Clearance of neurotransmitters from synaptic clefts,
Metabolic exchange between the vascular system and the neurons of the nervous
system.
Neuroglia in the CNS
Astrocytes
star-shaped, largest and most abundant glial cell type
usually found between neurons and blood vessels, where they anchor
these components together
contribute to the formation of the blood-brain barrier, to isolate the
CNS from the general circulation.
control volume of blood flow through capillaries
absorb and recycle certain neurotransmitters
involved in synapse formation in developing neural tissue
produce molecules necessary for neuronal growth (BDTF)
regulates sodium ion, potassium ion, and carbon dioxide concentrations
Neuroglia in the CNS
Neuroglia in the CNS
Microglia
smallest and least
abundant glial cell
Phagocytes – the
macrophages
of the CNS
appear early in embryonic
development.
Derived from blood cells
called monocytes
Neuroglia in the CNS
Ependymal cells
Line the central canal of the spinal cord and
ventricles of the brain
Help form choroid plexuses that secrete
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Bear cilia – help circulate the CSF
Neuroglia in the CNS
Maturation of the nervous system continues through childhood and reflects the progressive
myelination and thickening of its axons.
Mammalian neurons have very limited powers of regeneration, the capability to replicate or
repair damaged neurons
Regeneration and Repair of Nervous Tissue
By the 3-5th day, the part of the axon distal to the damaged region becomes
slightly swollen and then breaks up into fragments; the myelin sheath also
deteriorates. Macrophages phagocytize the debris. The neurolemma however
remains. The degeneration of the distal portion of the axon and myelin
sheath is called Wallerian degeneration
Synthesis of RNA and protein accelerates and the Schwann cells on either side
of the injured site multiply by mitosis, grow toward each other, and may form a
regeneration tube across the injured area .
Regeneration and Repair of Nervous Tissue
The tube guides growth of a new axon from the proximal area across the injured area into the distal area previously
occupied by the original axon.
Buds of regenerating axons begin to invade the tube formed by the Schwann cells. New axons will not grow if the
gap at the site of injury is too large or if the gap becomes filled with collagen fibers.
Axons from the proximal area grow (1.5 mm a day) toward the distally located receptors and effectors.
Regeneration of A Nerve Axon
(b)
Schwann cells
degenerate
(d)
Schwann cells
proliferate
(e)
Former connection
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reestablished
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