Republic of Yemen ‫الجمهوريـــــــــــــة اليمنيــــــــــــة‬

University of Saba Region ‫جامعـــــــــــة إقليم سبأ‬

Faculty of Medicine ‫كليــــة الطب‬

Types of Tissue

Dr. Hasan Almansoub

Assistant Professor of Pathology and Pathophysiology
(Histopathology)
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 CONNECTIVE TISSUE (C.T.)
• Objectives:
By the end of this lecture, the student should be able to:
1. Enumerate the general characteristics of C.T.
2. Classify C.T. into C.T. proper (C.T.P.) and special types of
C.T.
3. Describe components of C.T.P.
4. Classify C.T.P.
5. Describe the structure, distribution, and function of different
types of C.T.P.
6. Enumerate the functions of C.T.
7. Understand the following clinical applications:
• Edema.
• Tumors of adipose tissue.
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 Types of Connective Tissue

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 Connective Tissue
Connective tissues (CT) are the supporting framework for all tissues and organs of the
body. In addition, they provide the means of anchoring and binding organs together as
well as providing the packing tissue between them.

CT varies in structure and character from loose (subcutaneous areas), to dense irregular
(dermis of skin), to dense regular (ligaments and tendons), to firm and flexible
(cartilage in the trachea, intervertebral discs, external ear, to rigid (calcified bone), to
circulating (blood and lymph).

Connective Tissue Development

• Connective tissue develops from a precursor tissue called mesenchyme (which arises
from mesoderm).

• Mesenchyme is an undifferentiated tissue present only in early embryonic life.

• Mesenchyme gives rise to all connective tissues plus vessels and smooth muscle
cells.

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 Connective Tissue
• It is one of the 4 basic tissues.
• It is mesodermal in origin.
• It supports, binds, and connects other tissues and
organs providing structural and metabolic support
for them.
General Characteristics of C.T.
1. C.T. is formed of widely separated, few cells with
abundant extracellular matrix.
2. Most C.T. are vascular.

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 Components & types of connective tissue
Components of C.T.
1. Cells: different types.
2. Fibers: collagenous, elastic & reticular.
3. Matrix: the intercellular substance, in which cells and
fibers are embedded. Types of C.T.
– Soft C.T. Proper
– Rigid (firm, rubbery) Cartilage
– Hard (solid) Bone
– Fluid (liquid) Blood

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 Connective Tissue

Mesenchyme: bland cells

Cartilage (trachea) Bone (femur)
in lots of ground substance

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 Connective Tissue Proper
Surrounds delicate things like vessels Scaffolds mushy things
like lymph nodes Connects bones Supports skin.
(A) Cells
Components of C.T. 1- Fibroblasts.
Proper: 2- Macrophages.
A.Cells. 3- Mast cells.
B.Fibers. 4- Plasma cells.
C.Matrix. 5- Adipose cells (Adipocytes,
Fat cells).
6- Leucocytes.

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 1- Fibroblasts
L/M:
• Most common cell; found nearly in all
types of C.T. proper.
• Flat branched cells (spindle-shaped)
with basophilic cytoplasm.
• They can divide.
• Old fibroblasts are called fibrocytes.
Function:
1. Formation of proteins of C.T. fibers.
2. Formation of C.T. matrix.
3. Healing of wounds.

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 2- Macrophages
L/M:
• Basophilic cytoplasm, rich in lysosomes.
• Irregular outlines.
• They can divide.
• They originate from blood monocytes.
Function:
Phagocytosis.
3- Mast Cells
L/M:
• Cytoplasm contains numerous basophilic cytoplasmic granules.
Function:
1. Secrete heparin (anticoagulant).
2. Secrete histamine (allergic reactions).
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 4- Plasma Cells

L/M:
• Basophilic cytoplasm with a negative
Golgi image.
• Nucleus: spherical, eccentric with a
clock-face appearance of chromatin.
• Derived from B-lymphocytes.
Function:
Secretion of antibodies (immunoglobulins).

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 5- Adipose Cells (Adipocytes, Fat Cells)
Two types: unilocular and multilocular.
L/M of Unilocular Adipose Cells:
• Large, spherical, with a single large fat
droplet.
• Thin rim of cytoplasm at the periphery.
• Nucleus: flattened, peripheral.
Function: Synthesis, storage and release of fat.

L/M of Multilocular Adipose Cells:

• Small cells with multiple, small lipid droplets.
• Nucleus: spherical, not flattened.
Function: production of body heat because of their
large number of mitochondria.
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 Cells of connective tissue

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 Cells of connective tissue

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 6- Leucocytes (White Blood Cells)

• Appear normally in
C.T. proper.
• Neutrophils increase in
acute inflammation.
• Lymphocytes and
monocytes increase in
chronic inflammation.
• Eosinophils and
basophils increase in
allergic inflammation.
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 (B) Fibers
1- Collagen Fibers (made of collagen type I):
• Non-branched fibers, arranged in bundles.
• Acidophilic.
2- Reticular Fibers (made of collagen type III):
• Branch and form a network.
• Stained black with silver.
N.B. Other important types of collagen include:
type II (in cartilage).
type IV (in basement membranes)
3- Elastic Fibers (made of elastin):
• Branched.
• Stained brown with orcein.

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 Types of Connective Tissue Proper
Simple columnar Ground
Types of C.T. Proper: epithelium substance
Goblet
I.Loose (Areolar) C.T. cell

II.Dense Collagenous
C.T.
III.Elastic C.T. Delicate
collagen fiber Fibroblast
IV.Reticular C.T.
Loose areolar connective tissue
V.Adipose Tissue.
Ground
substance

Type III collagen

(reticular) fibers
Loose reticular connective tissue
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 Types of Connective Tissue Proper

Epithelium Bundles of collagen

Fibroblast

Loose connective tissue Ground

provides delicate support substance
Dense regular connective tissue

Bundles of collagen

Dense connective tissue Fibroblast

resists stretching forces
Ground
substance
Connective Tissue Proper in a Nutshell Dense irregular connective tissue

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 I- LOOSE (AREOLAR) C.T.

The most common type of C.T. proper.

L/M:
• Contains all the main components of C.T.P.: all
types of C.T. cells & fibers + abundant matrix.
• No predominant element in loose C.T.

Sites:
e.g. Subcutaneous tissue.

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 II- DENSE COLLAGENOUS C.T.
L/M:
Predominance of collagen fibers + fibroblasts.
Sites:
1- Dense regular: e.g. tendons, ligaments.
2- Dense irregular: e.g. dermis of the skin, capsules.
Function: tough tissue; resistant to stretch.
1 2

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 III- ELASTIC TISSUE

L/M:
Predominance of elastic
fibers (sheets or
membranes) + fibroblasts.
Sites:
Elastic fibers
Large arteries, e.g. Aorta
Function: elastic tissue;
stretchable.

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 IV- RETICULAR TISSUE

L/M:
Predominance of reticular fibers
+ reticular cells (specialized
fibroblasts).
Sites:
Stroma of organs: e.g. liver,
lymph node, spleen.
Function: structural support.

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 Reticular fibres
Liver H&E Liver - Reticular fibres

Structure of fibrillar collagen

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 V- Unilocular adipose tissue (white adipose tissue)

L/M:
Predominance of unilocular fat cells.
Sites:
• Subcutaneous tissue, especially in:
– Buttocks.
– Abdominal wall.
– Female breast.
• Around the kidney.
Function:
• Synthesis, storage, & release of fat.
• Supports organs, e.g. kidney.
• Heat insulation.
Adipocytes and their nuclei
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 Functions of Connective Tissue Proper

1. Supports, binds, and Connects other tissues and

organs.
2. Nourishes the surrounding structures, through its
blood vessels.
3. Its Cells provide healing of injured tissues,
produce heparin, histamine & antibodies, store
fat & preserve body temperature and protect
against microorganisms.
4. Its Fibers provide rigidity or elasticity.

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 Clinical Applications

• Edema:
– Under normal circumstances, extracellular fluid returns
to the blood capillaries or enters lymph vessels to be
returned to the blood.
– Inflammation causes accumulation of excess tissue fluid
within loose connective tissue beyond what can be
returned via the capillaries and lymph vessels. This
results in gross swelling, or edema, in the affected area.
– Edema can also result from obstruction of venous or
lymphatic vessels.

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 Clinical Applications

• Tumors of adipose tissue:

– Tumors of adipose tissue may be benign or
malignant. They may form anywhere in the body.
– Lipomas are common benign tumors of
adipocytes.
– Liposarcomas are malignant tumors of
adipocytes.
– The tumor cells may resemble either unilocular
adipocytes or multilocular adipocytes.

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 ‫‪Republic of Yemen‬‬ ‫الجمهوريـــــــــــــة اليمنيــــــــــــة‬
‫‪University of Saba Region‬‬ ‫جامعـــــــــــة إقليم سبأ‬
‫‪Faculty of Medicine‬‬ ‫كليــــة الطب‬

‫‪2023/9/4‬‬ ‫‪28‬‬