CONNECTIVE

Connective
TISSUE
Tissue
 CONNECTIVE TISSUE IS ONE OF THE FOUR BASIC
TYPES OF ANIMAL TISSUE. IT PROVIDES SUPPORT
AND STRUCTURE TO THE BODY AND BINDS
DIFFERENT ORGANS AND TISSUES TOGETHER. IT IS
FOUND THROUGHOUT THE BODY, FROM THE SKIN
AND BONES TO THE BLOOD AND LYMPH VESSELS
 Functions
Support - Provides mechanical and structural support
Protection - protect tissues and delicate organs
Binding and integration - Connective tissues bind and
integrate body structures, creating a cohesive unit.
Transportation - Medium for oxygen, nutrients and
metabolic wastes
Storage- act as storage sites for energy and minerals.
Defense - houses immune cells and participating in
inflammatory process
 BASIC COMPONENTS OF
CONNECTIVE TISSUES

CELLS FIBERS GROUND

SUBSTANCE
CELLS WHICH ARE FIBERS WHICH ARE A WELL-HYDRATED
THE LIVING PRODUCED BY THE GEL AND ACTS A
COMPONENT. CELLS RESERVOIR FOR
INTERSTITIAL FLUID.
 CLASSIFICATION OF CONNECTIVE
TISSUE

1) LOOSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE

provide organ support through a matrix of semifluid ground
substance containing fibers and cells. Fibroblasts, the
predominant cells, produce the ground substance and protein
fibers in a widely spaced and intertwined arrangement.

a) Areolar connective tissue

b) Adipose connective tissue
c) Reticular connective tissue
 AREOLAR CONNECTIVE
TISSUE
1) They forms a loose network in intracellular
material.
2) It consists of collagen, elastic fibers,
reticular fibers and several kinds of cells.

Location:
Below the skin, fill space between muscles,
supports blood vessels and nerves in alimentary
canal
Function:
It gives strength, elasticity and support to
tissue.
 ADIPOSE CONNECTIVE
TISSUE
• It consists of adipocytes which stores fat.

Location:
It is present in subcutaneous layer deep in
the skin, around the heart and kidneys.
Functions:
• Prevents heat loose from body.
• Act as reservoir of energy.
• It give shape to the limbs and body.
• It protects underlying organ from injury.
 RETICULAR CONNECTIVE
TISSUE
• It contains reticular fibers and reticular cells.

Location:
It is present in the supporting framework of
liver, spleen, lymph nodes, red bone
marrow and it is also found around blood
vessels and muscles.

Functions:
It is binds together smooth muscle tissue
cells, filters and removes microbes in the
lymph node.
 2. Dense Connective Tissue
• Characterized by a high density of fibers and a
relatively small amount of ground substance, compared
to loose connective tissue.

• This dense network of fibers provides strength,

support, and structure to various organs and tissues
throughout the body.

• Two main types:

- Dense Regular
- Dense Irregular
Dense Regular Tissue
• found in tendons and ligaments

• arranged parallel to each other,

enhancing its tensile strength and
resistance to stretching direction of the
fiber orientation.
Dense Irregular Tissue
• found in lower layer of the skin (dermis)

• direction of fibers is random

• direction gives the tissue greater strength in all

directions and less strength in one particular
direction.
Specialized Connective
Tissues
Cartilage, Bone, Hemopoietic Tissues, Blood
Cartilage
A strong, flexible connective tissue found in few
palces of the body
It is located at the joints, bones, spine, lungs, ears,
and nose
What is Cartilage made up of?
CHONDROCYTES
cartilage cells
responsible for maintaining the extracellular matrix
by producing and secreting collagen fibers,
proteoglycans, and other matrix components.

Components

Collagen Fibers - most abundant protein in the

extracellular matrix of cartilage. Provides strength,
structure, and resilience to cartilage
What is Cartilage made up of?

Proteoglycans - large molecules with attached

glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), to help trap water
within the cartilage matrix, contributing to its
resilience and ability to absorb shock.

Water - makes up a significant portion of cartilage's

extracellular matrix. Provides hydration and
lubrication to the tissue, for maintaining its flexibility
and cushioning properties.
MAIN FUNCTIONS OF THE CARTILAGE
Shock absorption - cushions the bones and joints when you
move and use them.
Reducing friction - cartilage lubricates your joints. It helps
the bones slide past each other without rubbing together
Support - cartilage provides structural support to various
body parts, including the nose, ears, trachea, and bronchi. It
helps maintain their shape and prevents collapse under
pressure.
THREE TYPES OF
CARTILAGE
 HYALINE
CARTILAGE The most abundant type of cartilage, and
has abundant collagen fibers.

Function
Provides support and flexibility to various
structures like the surfaces of bones in
synovial joints, trachea, bronchi, and the
ribs. It acts as a shock absorber, reducing
friction between bones during movement,
and helps maintain the shape and structure
of the respiratory tract.
FIBROCARTILAGE
Characterized by its dense arrangement of
collagen fibers within the extracellular matrix.

Function
Found in areas subjected to heavy
mechanical stress, such as the intervertebral
discs in the spine. Its primary function is to
provide structural support, absorb shock,
and withstand compression forces, helping to
stabilize joints and prevent injury.
 ELASTIC
CARTILAGE Contains numerous elastic fibers in addition to
collagen and proteoglycans, giving it a
yellowish color and a high degree of
flexibility.

Function
found in structures that require both support
and elasticity, such as the external ear
(pinna), the epiglottis, and the Eustachian
tube. Its elastic fibers allow for bending and
deformation without permanent damage.
Bones
A dense, hard, and durable tissue
that makes up the skeletal system.

Dermal ossification - direct

transformation of mesenchymal cells
into bone-forming cells called
osteoblasts.
Endochondral ossification -
replacement of hyaline cartilage with
bone.
MAIN FUNCTIONS OF
THE BONE

Support
Protection
Movement
Mineral Storage
Blood Cell Production
Energy Storage
Osseous
Tissues

Compact Bone - dense and hard

outer layer of bone provides strength
and protection.

Spongy Bone - lighter and less dense

than compact bone and contains
spaces that are filled with bone
marrow.
Cells
Osteoblast - bone formation
Osteoclast - bone resorption
Osteocytes - mature bone cells
Matrix components
Organic: Collagen fibers - tensile strength
and flexibility
Inorganic: Hydorxyapatite - hardness and
resistance to compression
 Hemopoietic Tissues
Myeloid & Lymphoid

A complex network of cells and cellular

components that are primarily involved in the
production and development of blood cells.

Red Blood Cell Production (Erythropoiesis)

White Blood Cell Production (Leukopoiesis)
Platelet Production (Thrombopoiesis)
Myeloid
Red Blood Cells (Erythrocytes)
Platelets (Thrombocytes)
Granulocytes
Monocytes

Lymphoid
B Cells
T Cells
Natural Killer (NK) Cells
 Red Bone
Marrow
Rich in hemopoietic cells and is found in the
trabecular or spongy part of certain bones

Yellow Bone
Marrow
Consisting mainly of fat cells, has less
hemopoietic capacity but can transform back into
red marrow under certain conditions
Blood
A fluid tissue that consists of
plasma (the liquid component)
and formed elements (the
cellular components).
Blood Components

1. Plasma - liquid component of blood

2. Red Blood Cells (Erythrocytes) - contain
hemoglobin, a protein that binds oxygen
and carbon dioxide, facilitating their
transport in the blood.
3. White Blood Cells (Leukocytes) - protect
the body against both infectious disease
and foreign invaders.
4. Platelets (Thrombocytes) - disc-shaped
cell fragments without a nucleus that play
a crucial role in blood clotting
(coagulation).
Thank you
For your
Attention