MT 109: HUMAN HISTOLOGY
CONNECTIVE TISSUES
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
- Forms continuum with epithelial tissue,
muscles, nervous tissue, as well as other
components of connective tissue to
maintain a functionally integrated body.
- Most originate from mesoderm.
- Classified as connective tissue proper,
specialized connective tissue (cartilage,
bone and blood)
- is composed of cells and an extracellular
matrix consisting of ground substance and
fibers.
FUNCTIONS OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE
● Provide Structural Support
● Serves as a Medium for Exchange
● Aiding in the Defense and Protection of
Body
● Forming a Site for Storage of Fat
CONNECTIVE TISSUE IS COMPOSED OF:
- Cells
- Extracellular Matrix
- Ground Substance
- Fibers
Extracellular Matrix
- Complex of nonliving macromolecules
manufactured by cells and exported into
extracellular space.
- Composed of ground substance and fibers
- Resist compressive and stretching forces
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Ground Substance
- Hydrated, amorphous material composed of
glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans, and
adhesive glycoproteins.
Fibers
- Collagen and Elastic Fibers
- Six Major Types of Collagen Types
- I : Connective tissue proper, bone and
dentine
- II: Hyaline and elastic cartilage
- III: Reticular fibers
- IV: basal lamina and lamina densa
- V: Placenta and associated with Type I
- VII: Attaching basal lamina to lamina
reticularis
Elastic Fibers
- Composed of elastin and microfibrils.
- Highly elastic and may stretch 150% length
without breaking
Cellular Components - Fixed Cells
- Adipose Cells: function in synthesis, storage
and release of fat
- Pericytes: Surround endothelial cells of
capillaries
- Mast Cells: Arise from bone marrow and
functions in mediating inflammatory process
and immediate hypersensitivity reaction
- Macrophages: includes phagocytes and
antigen presenting cells.
- Fibroblasts: most abundant type in
connective tissue and responsible for
synthesis of almost all extracellular matrix
 Cellular Components -Transient Cells

- Plasma Cells: derived from B lymphocytes

and manufactures antibodies.
- Lymphocytes: Exit blood stream during
inflammation, invasion by foreign elements
and immune response.
- Neutrophils: Phagocytose and digest
bacteria in areas of acute inflammation
resulting in pus.
- Eosinophils: Attracted to areas of
inflammation combat parasites and allergic
inflammation Classification of Connective Tissue
- Basophils: Similar to mass cells release
pharmacological agents
A. Embryonic Connective Tissue:
- Monocytes
Mesenchymal and Mucous
- Macrophages
B. Connective Tissue Proper: Loose (Areolar),
Dense (irregular and regular (collagenous
and elastic)) Reticular, Adipose
WHITE BLOOD CELLS C. Specialized: Cartilage, Bone, and Blood

Mesenchymal

- Present only in embryo.

- Undifferentiated Mesenchymal cells in gel
like amorphous ground substance witH
scattered reticular fibers.
- Mitotic figures frequent

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FOETAL KIDNEY:

MUCOUS

- Loose amorphous connective tissue

exhibiting jelly like matrix composed of
hyaluronic acid and spare type I and III
collagen fibers
- Called Wharton’s Jelly found only in
umbilical cord and subdermal connective
tissue of embryo.
Connective Tissue Proper

Loose Connective Tissue

- AKA areolar tissue

UMBILICAL CORD IN SCANNING VIEW:
- Loose connective tissue contain less
collagen than that of dense connective
tissue, typically has cells, collagen and
ground substances in equal portions
- Found deep to skin, adventitia of blood
vessels, parenchyma of glands, Lamina
propria under the epithelium

Areolar Connective Tissue (Loose)

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 • Greater abundance of fibers and fewer cells than
loose connective tissue
• Orientation of collagen makes it resistant to
stress
• If collagen are randomly distributed it is called it is
called irregular, if parallel or organized it is regular.
• Further classified into predominant fiber present
collagen (fibrous) or elastic.

Dense, Irregular Collagenous Connective

Tissue, Seen in the Dermis

Fibrous Capsule Surrounding the Testis

Dense Connective Tissue

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 (tunica albuginea) Dense Regular Elastic Connective Tissue:
The Aorta

Dense Regular Collagenous Connective

Tissue

Dense, Regular Elastic Connective

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 Nuclei Lipid Droplets
ADIPOSE TISSUE

● AKA fat cells

● Two types:
- 1: Unilocular (white fat) contains a
single large lipid globule displacing
nuclei and cytoplasm to the
periphery. This is the most common
type of fat.
- 2: Multilocular (brown fat)
contains several small lipid droplets.
This type is seen during the
embryonic and early life, as well as
some animal like seals, and bears.

Fat/Lipid Globules

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 RETICULAR CONNECTIVE TISSUE

● Composed of Type III collagen fibers

● Best seen in lymphoid organs where
immune cells attach to fibers.
● Also seen in bone marrow, liver, pancreas,
adrenal gland

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