HUMAN HISTOLOGY (LECTURE)

LESSON 3: CONNECTIVE TISSUE

=
nd
2 SEMESTER I S.Y. 2021-2022
TRANCRIBED BY: JEAN HERSHEY REYES

Function of Connective Tissue Extracellular Matrix Cells

o Extracellular fluid o Fixed / Resident cells

 Connective tissue has fewer cells than epithelial tissue that
o Ground substances (stays permanently)
scattered in the extracellular matrix.
 The cells are not found as densely packed cells  Hydrated, amorphous  Fibroblasts (most
 Binds body parts together (formless) material abundant
 Providing structural support (transparent); this is not connective tissue
 Serving as a medium for exchange visible under the cells), mast cells,
 Aiding in body defense and protection compound microscope macrophages,
 Forming a site for fat storage adipocytes,
 The abundant water in reticular cells
Organization the GS makes the
diffusion of oxygen and o Transient / Visiting
 Cells; scattered individually nutrient from blood to cells (phagocytic
 Extracellular Matrix; main component for diffusion connective tissue cells cells)
o Fibers to connect easily.
o Ground substances  Plasma cells,
o Extracellular fluid  Composed of: lymphocytes,
proteoglycans neutrophils,
(macromolecules; eosinophils,
gelatinous character), basophils,
glycoprotein; fibrillin monocytes,
(formation of elastic inflammatory
fibers); fibronectin, macrophages
laminine and
thrombospondin

 Proteoglycans consist of
core protein to which
glycous amino glycan
are attached

 Main Type: hyaluronic

acid

o Fibers (supportive
function)

Embryonic Connective
Tissue
o Mesenchymal
connective tissue
o Mucous connective
tissue
 Collagen
 Elastic
Adult Connective Tissue  Reticular
Fixed/Resident Cells
o Connective Tissue Proper
Fibroblasts -Fibrocytes
 Loose Connective
Tissue  Derived from undifferentiated mesenchymal cells
 Dense Connective  Synthesize the extracellular matrix
Tissue  Synthesis of protein, glycoprotein that are present in the ground
 Regular substance.
 Collageno  Precursor of the collagen and reticular fiber
us
 Fixed in connective tissue, capable in some movements, may
 Elastic
undergo cell divisions, may differentiate into adipocytes,
 Reticular tissue
chondrocytes, and osteoblasts
 Adipose Tissue

o Specialized Connective
Tissue Fibroblast (active) o staining cytoplasm
 Cartilage o Dark stain, large, granular, ovoid
 Bone nucleus containing a prominent
 Hemopoietic nucleolus
system/blood o Spindle or fusiform

Page 1 of 4
 o Nucleus is found eccentrically metachromatically by toluidine blue → heparin, histamine (dark
o Irregular cytoplasmic processes purple)

Fibrocytes o Smaller and with acidophilic Adipocytes (Adipose Cells)

(inactive); resting cytoplasm
cells o Small, elongated, deeply stain nucleus  Derived from undifferentiated mesenchymal cells or fibroblasts
o Wound healing  Synthesis and storage of triglycerides
o Smaller in terms of size.  Present in all connective tissue.

Unilocular fat cells o Contain single, large fat droplet

form white adipose o Spherical or polyhedral , peripherally
Macrophages (Histiocytes) tissue placed nucleus
o Signet ring appearance
 Are derived from monocyte
 Removes cellular debris and in protects the body against Multilocular fat o Contain multiple, small fat droplets
foreign invaders (phagocytosis) cells form brown o Smaller and more polygonal than
 Non-immune or inflammatory response by acting as phagocytic adipose tissue white fat cells
cells; immune response by serving as antigen presenting cells o Pushes and flattens the nucleus
that process and introduce antigens to lymphocytes. cytoplasmic organelles to one side of
the cell
o Lungs: Pulmonary Alveolar Macrophages o a signet ring cell is a cell with a large
o Liver: Kupffer cells vacuole.
o Connective Tissue: Histiocytes
o Skin: Langerhans cells
o Nervous Tissue: Microglia Reticular Cells
o Bone: Osteoclasts
 Specialized fibroblasts that synthesize Type III collagen
 Type of white blood cells; widely distributed all over the body  Abundant in hemopoietic tissue, bone marrow, lymphoid organs
 Cell surface is uneven, varying from short, blunt projections to (lymph nodes; spleen) and liver
finger-like filopodia  Slightly larger than fibroblasts with large and lightly stained
 Cytoplasm is basophilic and contains many small vacuoles and nucleus
small dense granules  Type of fiber present (fiberblast-collagen is present)
 Eccentric, dark stain, indented nucleus doesn’t display nucleoli
Transient / Visiting cells

Plasma Cells

 Derived from B lymphocytes, resided in chronic inflammation

areas
 Present in limited numbers in all connective tissue but
numerous in the digestive tract
 Produce immunoglobulins or antibodies

 Large, ovoid
 Eccentrically placed nucleus
 Intense basophilic cytoplasm → rER >>> → Ab production

Mast Cells

 Probably derived from precursors in

the bone marrow
 Inflammation and immediate types
hypersensitivity reaction; wound
healing and defense against to
pathogen

 Ovoid and possess centrally placed,

spherical nucleus

 Numerous granules in the

cytoplasm which are stained

Page 2 of 4
 Leucocytes

 Present in variable numbers in practically all connective tissue Loose (Areolar) Connective Tissue

 abundant ground substance and

Neutrophil o phagocytosis and digest bacteria in extracellular fluid housing fibroblasts,
(microphages) acute inflammation areas adipocytes, macrophages, mast cells,
Eosinophil o elevated due to parasitism; parasitic and some undifferentiated cells
agents  Contains many transient cells →
Basophil o mast cells inflammation, allergic reactions, and
Lymphocyte B o plasma cells; production of antibodies immune response
Monocyte o macrophage  Loosely woven collagen, reticular,
and elastic fibers
 Deep to skin, below the mesothelial
lining, adventitia of blood vessels,
surrounds the parenchyma of
glands
 Comprises the hypodermis; tunica adventitia of blood vessels,
lamina propria, and some mucous of digestive, respiratory and
urogenital tracts
 Two groups: Ordinary Loose Connective Tissue Types
(extracellular fiber is collagen; fibroblasts) and Modified Loose
Connective Tissue Type (different in cellular and fibriliar
composition from ordinary)

Fibers Mesenchymal Connective Tissue

 consists of mesenchymalcells in a gel-

Collagen Fibers o Inelastic; colorless. Tendons (white like, amorphous ground substance
Collagen Type I color to fresh tissues) containing scattered reticular fibers
o 19 types of collagen; I, II and III
(connective tissue)  Mesenchymal cells
o Possess tensile strength o Oval, large, weak
o Unbranched basophilianucleus exhibiting
o Most of the fibrils have diameters of fine chromatin network and
30–70nm prominent one or two
o Collagen fibers with diameters of 2– nucleoli
10μm often form wavy fibers, like o Sparse, little, pale staining
undulating locks of hair. cytoplasm extends small
o Mason's Trichrome stain (blue) processes in several
o Formation: procollagen, tropocollagen, directions that connect each
microfibrils, macrofibrils, collagen fiber other

Elastic Fibers o lesser tensile strength Mucous Connective Tissue

o elastic – protein elastin
o fibers branch
o appears pinkish yellow lines
(unstained)
o not widely distributed
o formed by fibroblast, smooth muscle
cells and mesenchymal cells
o tropoelastin precursor of elastin
o Orcein stain (blue to black)
o Found in oracle and external acoustic
meatus of the ear; external nose;
auditory tube, epiglottis
 Loose, amorphous connective tissue
exhibiting a jelly-like matrix primarily
composed of hyaluronic acid and
type I and III collagen fibers and
fibroblast
 Common in embryo but rare in adults
 Wharton jelly → umbilical cord,
subdermal connective tissue of
embryo

Reticular Fiber o made up of Type III collagen

o Ordinary: Type I
o very fine fibers that branch
o argyrophilic fibers Reticular Tissue
o comprises the lamina fibroreticularis
o not widely distributed (stained black)  Major component: type III collagen fiber form mesh-like
networks interspersed with fibroblasts and macrophages
Classification of Connective Tissue Proper  Liver sinusoids, adipose tissue, bone marrow, lymph node, spleen,
smooth muscle, islet of Langerhans
1. Loose Connective Tissue
o Consists of more cell and fewer fiber

2. Dense Connective Tissue

o Consists of fewer cell and more fiber

Page 3 of 4
  Tendons, ligaments

Adipose Tissue Dense Regular Elastic Connective Tissue

 largest energy storage site of the body  Possess coarse

 stored in the subcutaneous area; also functions as thermal branching elastic fibers
insulator with only a few
 Two forms of Adipose Tissue: collagen fibers forming
networks
1. Yellow/White- Single fat vacuole; adult human body
2. Brown- numerous droplets; body of newborns  Elastic fibers are
arranged parallel to
Elastic Tissue one another and form
either thin sheets or
 made up of elastic fibers that form bundles arranged parallel to fenestrated membrane
each other
 Found in ligamentum flava of vertebral column and
suspensory ligament of penis  Large blood vessels
(aorta), ligamenta flava
Dense Connective Tissue of the vertebral column,
suspensory ligament of
the penis
 Has same component as loose CT except that it has many more
fibers and fewer cells
 Orientation and arrangement of bundles of collagen fibers →
Resistant to stress

o Random → dense irregular CT

o Parallel or organized fashion → dense regular CT

Dense Irregular Connective Tissue

 Contains mostly coarse collagen fibers interwoven into a

meshwork
 Collagen bundles are packed so tightly → space is limited for
ground substances and cells
 Scatter fine network of elastic fibers
 Fibroblasts >>>>>
 Dermis of skin, sheath of nerves, capsules of spleen, testes, ovary,
kidney, and lymph nodes

Dense Regular Collagenous Connective Tissue

 Is composed of coarse collagen bundles densely packed and

oriented into parallel cylinders or sheets that resist tensile forces
 Little space can be occupied by ground substances and cells
 Thin, sheet-like fibroblasts are located between bundles of
collagen with their long axes parallel to the bundles
Page 4 of 4