CONNECTIVE TISSUE

FUNCTIONS
• Support
• Anchorage - anchors the other basic type of tissue both functionally and structurally
• Composed of cells and ECM - ground substance and protein fibers
• Transport - exchange of nutrients and metabolize
• Protection
o WBC
▪ Neutrophils
• Storage
o Fats
▪ insulators
• Immune defense
o Plasma cells
o Lymphocytes
o Immunoglobulins (IGG, IGF, IGA)
▪ Located at the serum
• Serum is a connective tissue
• Repairs damaged tissue
ORIGIN OF CT : MESODERM
Mesenchyme/Embryonic tissue
• Composed of mesenchymal cells
• Shape: stellate shape or spindle shape with cytoplasmic extensions
• Differentiate in all cell types
o Found in all matured cell tissue
• Point of origin of all tissues
ECM (EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX)
• Composed of the protein fibers and ground substances and CT cells
• A complex and intricate structural network, surrounds and supports the cell inside the tissue
• Influences extracellular communication
GROUND SUBSTANCE
Description:
• Hydrophilic, viscous clear with a slippery feel and stabilizes the ECM
• High water content
• Part of the ECM that occupies the spaces between the cells and the fibers
Main function :resist forces of compression
Kinds:
• Proteoglycans
o core protein where different GAGs are covalently attached
o Bind and sequester signaling proteins
▪ Particularly the Fibroblast Growth Factor
o Example of Proteo:
▪ AGGRECAN
• Is dominant in cartilages
• Most important proteoglycan
• Glycosaminoglycans or mucopolysaccharides
o Composed of repeating disaccharide units (uronic acid and hexosamine)
 o 2 amino acids or hexosamines
▪ Acetyl glucosamine
▪ Galactosamine
o Predominant glycosaminoglycans without sulfide groups
▪ HYALURONIC ACID
o Other types of proteoglycan
▪ Dermatan sulfate
▪ Chondroitin sulfate
▪ Keratin sulfate
▪ Heparin sulfate
• MULTIADHESIVE GLYCOPROTEIN
o Multidomain and multifunctional
o Role:
▪ in stabilizing the ECM and linking in to the cell surface
▪ Regulate and modulates the function of the ECM related to cell movement and cell
migration
▪ Stimulates cell proliferation and differentiation
• Fibronectin
• Most abundant glycoprotein
• Controls the deposition and orientation of the collagen in the ECM
• Laminins
• Form links in the cell membrane and basement membrane
INTERSTITIAL/TISSUE FLUID
• Similar to plasma
• Two functions
o Hydrostatic pressure
▪ Draw water out of the capillaries
▪ Pumping action of the heart
o Osmotic pressure
▪ Draw water to capillaries
▪ Due to plasma proteins
PROTEIN FIBERS
• Elastic
o Elasticity, stretch
o Contain deposition of ELASTIN as fibers
o requires the [presence of fibrillin
o Thinner than collagen fibers
o Branching to form a 3D network
▪ Made up of elastin molecules
• Composed of 2 amino acids
• Desmosine
• Isodesmosine
• Provides the rubber like quality of the elastic fiber
• Fibrillin
• Fibrillin 1
• Use as a substrate for the assembly of elastic fibers
▪ Collagen fibers - not branching
o Interspersed with collagen
 ▪ to prevent tearing from extensive stretching
• Collagen
o Most abundant type of fiber in the body
o Tensile strength, flexible
o Secreted in a form of tropocollagen
o 20 types of collagen and 4 categories according to structure and function
▪ TYPE 1 COLLAGEN
• Seen on fibrous supporting tissue
• Skin, tendons, ligaments
▪ TYPE 2 COLLAGEN
• Found in: Hyaline cartilage
▪ TYPE 3 COLLAGEN
• Found in: Reticulin
• It is argyrophilic
▪ TYPE 4 COLLAGEN
• Seen on basement membrane
• Major component of the basal lamina
▪ TYPE 7 COLLAGEN
• Anchoring fibrils for basement membrane
• Bind basal lamina to reticular fibers
o Collagen fibers - wavy structures, can appear as bundles of fine thread like sub units (
collagen fibrils)
• Reticular "irregular anastomosing networks"
o Arranged in branching pattern
o Can not be identified using H&E stain
o Visualized using silver stain (argyrophilic- stained black in silver salts)
o Found at the boundary of the connective tissue and epithelium
▪ Also surround adipocytes and small blood vessels
▪ Lymph nodes
o TYPE 3 COLLAGEN

CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS

• FIXED CELLS (RESIDENT CELLS)
o originate locally and remain in the connective tissues
▪ FIBROBLAST
• Principle cell of CT
• Responsible for synthesis of collagen, elastic and reticular fibers
• Complex carbohydrates of ground substance
• Maintain the integrity of supporting tissue by continuous slow turn over
of ECM constituents
• Secretes ECM in most of the tissues
• Fibroblasts undergo mitosis only during wound healing and fibrocartilage
formation they differentiate to Chondrocytes
• Under pathological condition they may differentiate into osteoblast or
adipose cells
• ACTIVE FIBROBLAST
• Spindle shape
• The cytoplasm of the fibrobalst is more extensive and irregularly branch
 • May display basophilia
• Exhibits Basophilic cytoplasm
• Rich in organelles
• Golgi apparatus, RER
• FIBROCYTE - quiescent
• Spindle shape
• Smaller than active fibroblast
• Fewer processes and active organelles
▪ PERICYTES aka "adventitial cells" "perivascular cells"
• May retain pluripotential role - means they may still differentiate
• Smaller than fibroblast
• Location: along the capillaries, lying in their own basal lamina
• venules
• Function: contractile cells that modify the capillary blood flow
• May differentiate to smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells
▪ ADIPOSE CELLS
• Synthesis and storage and release of fat cells
• Fully differentiated
• UNILOCULAR
• WHITE ADIPOSE TISSUE
• cytoplasm and nucleus are Squeezed into a thin rim around the
cell’s periphery.
• CHICKEN WIRE APPEARANCE
• Receptors for insulin (growth hormone)
• MULTILOCULLAR
• BROWN ADIPOSE CELLS
• fat stored in many small fat droplets spherical centrally located
nucleus
• Found in new born and hibernating mammals
• Nucleus: CENTRAL
▪ MAST CELLS
• Numerous in the CT of the skin and mucous membrane
• Not present in the brain and spinal cord
• One of the largest cells of CTP
• Large ovoid cells whose cytoplasm is filled with abundant intensely
basophilic granules
• NUCLEUS IS SPHERICAL AND LOACATED AT THE CENTER
• Nucleus is obscured by the granules
• Granules contains
• Heparin
• Histamine - allergies
• Serotonin - promotes vasoconstriction and contraction of the
smooth muscles
• TRANSIENT CELLS (WANDERING CELLS)
▪ originate elsewhere and remain temporarily in connective Tissues
o MACROPHAGES
▪ Principal phagocytosing cells
▪ Possesses irregular surfaces - pleats, protrusions, indentations
 ▪ Monocytes - macrophages in the blood
▪ Histiocytes - tissue macrophage in a dendritic cell
▪ FUNCTION
• Tissue scavenger
• Antigen receipting cells
▪ Can be distinguished with other cells because it has a kidney shaped nucleus or an
indented nucleus
o MONONUCLEAR PHAGOCYTE SYSTEM
▪ Derived from monocytes
▪ Denotes the population of antigen presenting cells involving the processing of foreign
substances
• Kupffer cells - liver shape: stellate
• Microglial cells - CNS
• Langerhans - Skin and mucusa
• Granules of the langerhans - Birbeck granules
• Osteoclasts - bone
o PLASMA CELLS
▪ Prominent constituent of loose connective tissue where antigens tend to enter the
body
▪ Normal component of the salivary gland, lymph nodes and hemopoietic tissue
▪ Nucleus: cartwheel, spoke of the wheel(spokewheel) eccentric, cytoplasm displays
strong basophilia bc of the extensive rough endoplasmic reticulum chromatin is also
dark
▪ Function: production of antibodies
o LEUKOCYTES
▪ WBCs tat migrate by diapedesis
• Diapedesis - movement of the translocation from the endothelial lining going to
the
▪ For cellular defect
▪ Abundant in inflamed area
o GRANULOCYTES
▪ Neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils
▪ Lahat ng may phils
o AGRANULOCYTES
▪ Monocyte, lymphocyte
▪ Lahat ng may cytes
• CLASSIFICATION OF CONNECTIVE TISSUES
o Based on the proportion of the cells to fibers and the arrangement and type of fibers
Embryonic Connective tissue
Mucous Tissue
Main source: WHARTON'S JELLY OF THE UMBILICAL CORD
Formed by primitive fibroblast
• Spindle or stellate in shape
Contains fine collagen fibers
Jelly like ground substance that occupies the large intracellular spaces located
between the spindle shape mesenchymal cells
Mesenchymal/ Embryonic connective Tissue
• Found only in embryos (fetus)
 • Main source: mesenchymal cell
• Have a capacity for differentiation
• Provides support for tissues, general packing materials for the embryo
• The extracellular matrix contains a sparse and delicate arrangement of reticular
fibers and abundant gel-like amorphous ground substance
• Star shaped mesenchymal cells are embedded in the mesenchymal CT
• Their cytoplasmic processes often give a spindle shape appearance
Connective Tissue Proper
Loose Connective (Areolar)
• Less collagen fibers more cells
• Well vascularized, flexible and not very resistant to stress
• Very common type of Connective Tissue
• Supports epithelial tissues, forms a layer around blood vessels and fills the
spaces between muscle and nerve fibers
• Contains all the CT components
• Fibroblasts and macrophages (numerous)
• Fibers ( elastic and collagen)
• Flexible, well vascularized but not very resistant to stress
• EC component: contains a sparse and delicate arrangement of reticular
fibers and abundant amorphous ground substance
• Bakit tinawag na areolar CT?
• Bc it contains areola (numerable spaces that provide a reservoir of
water and salts surrounding the tissue)
• Most cells are transient that migrate from the local blood vessel that
responds to a local stimuli
• What are the cells that are present?
• Fibroblast
• Macrophage
• Adipocytes
• Mast cells
• Plasma cells
• WBC
• What are the fibers that are present?
• Elastic Fibers
• Collagen Fibers
• Ground substance
• Fluid or gelatinous, composed of hyaluronic acid
• Organization: randomly distributed
• Location: superficial and deep fascia of the skin
• Lamina propria of the skin
Dense Connective Tissue
• Resistance and protection
• Fewer cells and more fibers
• Predominance of collagen fibers
• Mas maraming fibers sa dense, less cells
Dense Regular
In one direction
Dense regular cartilaginous
 Consist mainly of type I collagen fibers
Present only in tendons (tendinocytes) and ligaments, aponeuroses
Provides attachment, reduces friction between muscles
Function:
Dense regular elastic
• Consists mainly of elastics fibers arranged in parallel patterns
• Commonly with thin collagen fibers and flattened fibroblast - this
occupies the spaces between the strands of this fibrous
• They branch out
• Para saan si collagen?
• To provide resistance and firmness
• Has an ability to recoil for easy blood flow
• Location: Vocal Cords, arteries, aorta, ventricles, ligamentum
nuchae, lung tissue

b. Dense Irregular
• In different directions, without a definite orientation
• Composed of compact collagen fibers
• Found in the dermis of skin and capsules of many organs
• Provides strength
• Haphazardly arranged collagen fibers (TYPE 1 COLLAGEN FIBERS)
3. Elastic Tissue
4. Reticular Connective Tissue
• Most common in lymphatic tissues
• They are supporting framework of hematopoietic and lymphoid organs
• Liver, spleen and lymph nodes
• Consist of 5 interlacing fibers
• Collagen type 3
• Reticular
• Cells: Reticular cells
• Fibers: Reticular, Collagen type 3
• GS: abundant GS
• Functions: framework for organs; binds smooth muscle tissue cells
5. Adipose Tissue
• Location: found in subcutaneous layer, around organs and in the yellow
marrow of long bones
• Adipocytes
• Signet ring
• Appearance of trabecula: chicken wire appearance
• Fat lobules are separated by the trabecula
• What forms the trabecula
• Collagen fibers
• Elastic fibers
• White
• Brown
• Presence of blood vessels causes the brown coloration
• Numerous mitochondria
• Cells
 • Adipocytes
• Fibers
• Reticular Fibers
• Ground Substance
• Scanty GS
• Organization
• Multicellular
• Function: insulation of heat
C. Specialized Connective Tissue
1. Fluid Connective tissue
a. Blood or vascular
• Function of blood
• Transport nutrients, waste product, hormones, proteins, ions
• Regulates body temperature
• Assists in the regulation of osmotic and acid-base balance
• Protection
• Prevents excessive blood loss
• Formed elements
• Erythrocytes
• Leukocytes (Never Let Monkeys Eat Bananas)
• Granulocytes
• Neutrophil
• Basophil
• Eosinophil
• Agranulocytes
• Lymphocyte
• Monocytes
• Platelets
• Fluid component - Plasma/Serum
• Plasma - unclotted blood
• Contains fibrinogen
• Serum - clotted blood
• Yellowish fluid, similar to plasma but lacks fibrinogen

b. Lymphoid tissues/Adenoid Connective Tissue

• Irregularly scattered in a loose manner
• Seen on lymph nodes, thymus, spleen
• These organs are characterized by the predominance of
lymphocytes
2. Supporting Connective Tissue
a. Cartilage
• Avascular, fibrous connective tissue
• Composed of island of cells called the chondrocytes
• Occur within the spaces in the matrix called the lacuna
• Most cartilage is surrounded by a dense irregular connective tissue
called the perichondrium
• Bears permanent stress without permanent distortion
• Ground substances of the cartilage
 • Made up of proteoglycan
• Responsible for the solid and flexible properties of the
cartilage
• GAGs - chondroitin sulfate, keratan sulfate
• Types of cartilage
• Hyaline
• Most abundant in the body
• Glassy, amorphous, homogenous staining matrix
• Rubbery and tough matrix
• Located at the trachea, nasal septum, larynx and costal
cartilage, articular surfaces
• Precursor for a developing bone
• TYPE 2 COLLAGEN
• Chondroblast
• Manufacture the cartilage's matrix
• Separated by a cartilaginous matrix and undergo mitotic
division
• Chondrocyte
• Mature cells embedded within the lacuna in the matrix
• Maintain the integrity of the cartilage
• Arranged in clusters of 2-4 enclosed by amorphous
cartilage matrix
• HISTOGENESIS OF HYALINE CARTILAGE
• Interstitial growth
• Further division of chondrocytes trapped within
mature cartilage
• Mature cartilage has a little capacity to
repair and regenerate bc of low vascular
supply
• Appositional Growth
• Starts at the perichondrium
• A layer surrounding mature cartilage is composed
of fibers and spindle shape cells
• Elastic Carilage
• Found in the external ear, epiglottis, laryngeal cartilage,
auditory tubes
• Provides elasticity - galing kay elastic fiber
• Less prone to degeneration compared to hyaline cartilage
• Support, maintains the shape, allow flexibility
• Fibrocartilage
• typically arranged in rows between collagen layers
• Intermediate between dense connective tissue and hyaline
connective tissue
• Composed of Collagen type 1
• Chondrocytes are arranged in rows between the dense
collagen layers
• It does not posses a perichondrium
b. Bone or osseous