By: Subhan Mahmood, Brad Tolan, Carol Yaracz, Julio Alvarado
THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE
General Characteristics
 Connective tissue is the most abundant tissue in your
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body.
They provide protection, support, framework, fills space,
stores fat, produces blood cells, fights infection, and
helps repair tissue.
They are composed of more scattered cells with
abundant intercellular material matrix.
Most connective tissue have a good blood supply
Connective tissue is made up of a ground substance
(fluid, and semi-solid) and fibers
Common Types of Cells
 Mast cells (prevents blood clots)
 Fibroblasts (most abundant, produces
fibers)
 Macrophages (Phagocytic)
Main types of Fibers
 Collagenous Fibers – are thick, made of
protein collagen, major structural protein in
the body, strong, flexible, not very elastic,
appear in long parallel bundles, is known as
white fibers.
 Elastic Fibers – not as strong , but very elastic
(respiratory and vocal cords)
Elastic Fibers and
collagenous fibers
Categories of Connective
 Loose C.T.
 Bone tissue
 Adipose Tissue (Fat)
 Blood Tissue
 Dense C.T. (Fibrous
Tissue)
 Reticular
 Cartilage
-Hyaline
-Elastic
-Fibrocartilage
Loose Connective Tissue
 The Loose Connective
Tissue binds skin to
underlying organs and
organs to organs. It
also fills in spaces
between muscles
throughout the body.
Dense Connective Tissue
 Fibrous Tissue
 Closely packed.
 It also has thick,
collagenous fibers and
fine network of elastic
fibers.
 Includes tendons and
ligaments.
Cartilage
 All cartilage cells are
called Chondrocytes.
o Hyaline- covers end of
bones and joints.
o Elastic- external ear
and larynx
o FibrocartilageInvertebral disks
Hyaline Cartilage-smooth with
large nuclei.
Bone Tissue
 Bone tissue is the
osseus tissue.
 Rigid due to mineral
salt
 The layers in bone
tissue are haversian
canals, mellae,
osteocytes.
Blood and Reticular
 The Blood tissue
circulates throughout
the body
 The Reticular tissue is
scattered throughout
the body
Blood- identify due to platelets.
Can You Identify These?