Connective Tissue

Vicki Wong
Connective Tissue
What is connective tissue?
What is the Extracellular Matrix (ECM)
What are the FUNCTIONS of connective tissue?
Different TYPES of connective tissue
Major PROTEINS present
Different types of cells present
Connective tissue disease
What is connective tissue?
ONE of the four types of animal tissue:
Epithelial Tissue
Muscle Tissue
Nervous Tissue
Connective Tissue

Supports and separates different types of tissue and organs

Found almost EVERYWHERE
JELLY like substance
What is connective tissue?
Features:
Cells scattered in extracellular fluid
Ground Substance transparent gel like substance with
glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans present
Proteins/Fibres - e.g. Collagen

Ground Substance

Extracellular Matrix - ECM

Proteins
Functions
Fills space between organs & tissue
Provides mechanical support help maintain structure
Attachment
Protection of tissue & organs
Passageway for Nutrients
Store: Fat & Calcium
Site of Immunological defense
Three forms:
Sof E.g. Dense, Adipose.
Semi-hard Cartilage
Hard - Bone
Types of Soft Connective Tissue
Mesenchyme Embryonic connective tissue
Loose (Areolar) Mesentery (posterior wall of peritoneal
cavity)
Reticular Lymph nodes, liver, bone marrow
Adipose - Fat cells
Dense Irregular (Dermis), Regular (Ligaments, tendons)

Different types of CT will have different ECM compositions

Extracellular Matrix (ECM)
Proteins glycoproteins synthesised & secreted by
fibroblasts
Collagen
Elastin
Adhesive Proteins
Fibronectin
Tenascin
Glycosaminoglycans - GAGs
Proteoglycans proteins with GAG side chains attached to
them
Collagen
Tensile strength of matrix inextensible
Abundant in tendons, dense CT & ligaments
Rod-shaped triple helix of polypeptides up to 420nm long
Formation of fibrils in some types of ECM
More than 20 specialised collagen proteins
Size & shape depends on function

Type I (skin, bone, tendons, dentine)

Type II (cartilage)
Type III (blood vessels, skin)
Type IV (basement membrane) sheet collagens
Elastin
Extensible found in blood vessels & lungs
Many tissues elastin is organised into Elastic Fibres
Only embryonic and juvenile fibroblasts synthesise elastic
fibres as tissues form and grow
Microfibrils appear first, forming scaffolding where elastin
deposits. Microfibrils displaced to periphery of fibre and
elastin grows
Very resillient, withstand >2 billion cycles of stretch recoil
before losing elasticity
Fibres lose elasticity during ageing process
Adhesive Proteins
Present on cell surface cross link connective tissue cells to
collagen
Transmembrane receptors Integrins
Allow for linkage to actin cytoskeleton inside the cell
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)
Repeating unbranched disaccharide subunits from 70-200
sugars long
Polysaccharide consisting of repeating units amino sugar +
uronic sugar
Chain is very rigid folds into compact structures
Highly Negatively Charged - Very polar - strongly hydrophilic
attracts water
Occupies a large volume from forming extended shapes
GAGs
Water is sucked into matrix by
negatively charged residues on
sugar creating a osmotically
active ion cloud
Forms porous Hydrated Gel
Water creates turgor that allows
connective tissue ECM to
withstand compressive forces
acts a shock absorber
GAGs < 10% of ECM weight
compared to protein
E.g. Hyaluronan
Proteoglycans
GAGs attached to protein
Form complexes with GAGs, other proteoglycans & fibrous
proteins.
Negatively charged
Help attract cations e.g. Calcium, sodium, potassium
Also bind to water helping the transport of water & other
molecules
Types of Cells
Indigenous synthesise ECM & store lipids
Derive from Mesenchymal stem cells
Fibroblasts produce ECM
Adipocytes store fat & leptin secretion (hormone that regulates
how fat is stored)
Mast Cells secrete histimine
Immigrant immune system cells mainly leukocytes
(immune system)
Neutrophils, Macrophages, Dendritic cells, eosonphils, basophils,
lymphocytes
Connective Tissue Diseases
Marfans Syndrome genetic disorder
Misfolding of protein called fibrillin-1 involved in forming elastic
fibres in the ECM
Leads to integrity of ECM being broken down weakened tissue
Defects in Aorta or Heart valves prone to rupture fatal
May also affect lungs, eyes, the skeleton
Treatment No Cure
Management Beta-blockers prevent damage to heart
Connective Tissue Disease
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome inherited connective tissue
disorder
Defect in synthesis of collagen (I/III)
10 different types
Can affect different parts of the body joints, skin, and blood
vessels e.g. hyperelasticity of skin
No Cure
Management close monitoring of cardiovascular system,
physiotherapy, orthopedic instruments