CONNECTIVE TISSUE

CONNECTIVE TISSUE

Connective tissue is one of the basic tissues

which gives structural and metabolic support to
the organ and other tissue of the body.

It connects other tissues.

 Functions
• Support Structural & Mechanical
• Packing Fills spaces, Shape to the
organ
• Storage Adipose tissue: energy
Loose areolar CT: water & Electrolytes
• Transport Medium for Nutrients &
Metabolic wastes
• Repair Fibroblasts:matrix and fibres
• Defense Cells: Phagocytosis or
Antibodies
 CONNECTIVE TISSUE
• GENERAL FEATURES

• 1. Cells
2. Matrix
-Fibers
-Ground substance
 CONNECTIVE TISSUE

Major constituent- Extracellular Matrix

Strength
 Cells of Connective Tissue

• A. Fixed cells (intrinsic cells)

1.Fibroblast &
Fibrocytes
2. Mesenchymal cells
3. Adipocyte
4. Fixed macrophages
• B. Free cells (extrinsic
cells/Wandering Cells)
4.Free Macrophage
5. Mast cell
6. Plasma cells
7. Leucocytes
 Function
• Fixed Cells: Production &
Maintenance of Extracellular
Matrix.
• Free Cells:Tissue reaction to injury
or invasion of Microorganisms.
 Fibroblast

• Most commonly seen

• Fusiform with slender cytoplasmic process
• Large oval nucleus,
• Responsible for fiber production
• Old cells are fibrocyte,
• Contractile Cells are myofibroblast
Fibroblast
 Adipocytes
• Store lipid
• Appears as empty
space
• Incapable to division
• Aggregate in adipose
tissue with reticular
fibre
 Mesenchymal cells
• Undifferentiated cells
• Stellate in shape,
• Cytoplasmic process,
• Pluripotenant cell
• Near blood vessels as
Advential cell
 Macrophages (Histiocytes)
• Free and Fixed type,
• Fixed Cells-
• Irregular Shape
• filopodia process,
• Dark indented eccentric
nucleus,
• Derived from monocyte
• Involved in phagocytosis
• Fused to form giant cell.
• Free Cells- rounded, no
filopodia
 Plasma cells

• Oval basophilic cells,

• Eccentric nucleus
• Heterochromatin as cartwheel
nucleus
• Derived from B lymphocyte
• Produces immunoglobulin
• Antibody collected as Russell
body.
• Present in respiratory tract and
gastrointestinal tract
 Mast cell
• Round or Fusiform Shaped
• Mostly along blood vessels,
• Metachromatic granules in
cytoplasm,
• Granules have Histamine or
Heparin,
• Look like basophil, so called as
connective tissue basophil .
• Connective tissue mast cell –
heparin granule, present in skin.
• Mucosal mast cell –small,
present in lamina propria of git
and respiratory tract
 Leucocytes-
. Granulocytes-
Neutrophils,
Esinophils,
Basophiles
. Agranulocytes
Lymphocytes,
Monocytes
Leucocytes
 Collagen Fibre
• White colour when fresh
• Do not branch,wavy
• present in bundle
• Collagen protein forms
Fibres
• Fibres composed of fibril
made of microfibrils
• Micro fibrils made up
tropocollagen-striations
• Synthesized by fibroblast
 Collagen
• Tropocollagen is Collagen is also
synthesized by synthesized by
fibroblasts and released
into extracellular space • Chondroblasts: in
where they get collagen
polymerized to form
collagen fibrils
• Osteoblasts : in bone
• Collagen on boiling gives
gelatin • Smooth Muscle: in
blood vessels
• More than 25 types are
present • Odontoblasts: in the
tooth
 Types
• Type1-bones ,tendons, dermis etc

• Type2-cartilage

• Type3-reticular fibres

• Type4-basement membrane

• Type5-blood vessels
 Synthesis
• Amino acids

• Procollagen

• Three chains

• Tropocollagen

• Collagen
 Elastic fibre
• Yellow in color when fresh
• Composed of elastin
protein
• Singly present
• Branched and anastomose
forming a network
• Can be stretched (one and
a half times)
• Synthesized by fibroblast
and smooth muscle cells in
blood vessels
• Found in ligamentum flava,
ligamentum nuchae, large
arteries
 Reticular fibre

• Structurally similar to
collagen fibres
• Are very thin Immature
collagen fibre
• Actively branch to form
delicate network therefore
named Reticular
• Form supportive framework
of lymphoid tissue
• Stained black by silver salts
(argyrophillic)
• Composed of Collagen Type III
 Ground Substance
• Transparent & Homogeneous
• Fills spaces between cells and fibres
• Acts as amoleculer sieve facilitating diffusion
between blood and tissues.
• Composition:
• Mucopolysaccharides
• Structural Glycoproteins
• Water & Electrolytes
• Mucopolysaccharides(Glycosaminoglycans):
Consistency & viscocity of GS, serves as a
physical barrier in spreading infection.
Examples: Hyaluronic Acid & Heparan
Sulphate.
• Structural Glycoproteins: Adhesion of cells to
the neighbouring cells. Examples:
Fibronectin(Dermis), Chondronectin(in
Cartilage) & Laminin(in basement membrane)
• Water & Electrolytes: Maintenance of Fluid
balance.
 Ground substance
• Polysacchrides - hexurate or galectose

• Carbohydrate protein complex (proteoglycanes)-

• 1- mucopolysacchride (glucosaminoglycanes)
• NonSulphates-chondroitin and hyluronic
acid
• Sulphates - chondotinesulphate, heparitine
sulphate, keratohyline
• 2- glycoprotienes- fibronectine(dermis),
chondronectine (cartilage), laminin (b.m)
• water & minerals
 Classification
Connective tissue
1.Ordinary connective tissue- Loose connective tissue
-Dense connective tissue
Regular
Irregular
2.connective tissue with special properties
Adipose tissue
Mucoid tissue
Reticular tissue
Pigmented tissue
3.Scleral connective tissue -Bone
-Cartilage
4.Lymphoid and heamopoietc connective tissue
 Examples
• Loose areolar connective tissue-
subperitoneal tissue, endomysium, lamina
propria
• Dense collagenous C T
Regular- tendon, ligament, aponeurosis
Irregular-dermis of skin
• Connective T with special properties
Elastic-Ligamentum nuchae
Mucoid/ Embryonic tissue- Wharton’s jelly
Reticular Tissue- Stroma of lymphoid organ
Loose Connective Tissue
Dense Regular Connective Tissue
Dense Regular Connective Tissue
Dense Irregular Connective Tissue
Dense Irregular Connective Tissue
Dense Irregular Connective Tissue
Dense Irregular Connective Tissue
Irregular Elastic Connective Tissue
Irregular Elastic Connective Tissue
Regular Elastic Connective Tissue
Regular Elastic Connective Tissue
Reticular Connective Tissue
Adipose Connective Tissue
Irregular Adipose Connective Tissue
Mucoid Tissue
 MCQ
• Plasma Cells are derived from
• 1. Monocytes
• 2. Basophils
• 3.T lymphocytes
• 4. B Lymphocytes
 MCQ
• Large number of elastic fibres are present in
• 1. Tendon
• 2. Ligamentum Nuchae
• 3. Basement Membrane
• 4. Aponeurosis
 MCQ
The fat cells of Multilocular adipose tissue
(Brown fat) is characterized by the presence of
1.Spherical central nucleus and many lipid
droplets.
2.Flat peripheral nucleus and single lipid
drop
3.Flat central nucleus and single lipid droplet
4.Thin rim of cytoplasm
 MCQ
• Which of the following is NOT TRUE about
Collagen
• 1.Constitutes 30% of the dry body weight
• 2.Is synthesized by fibroblasts
• 3.Is composed of Mucopolysaccharides
• 4.Gives gelatin on denaturation