`Histology 080707

Connective Tissue

Generalities
- Supporting, binding and packing tissue found widely scattered in the human body
- Widely dispersed system of cells, fibres and ground substance associated with muscle, nerve,
and all organs
- Fewer cells that are set far apart
 Intercellular substance
- Conduct blood vessels and nerves to their destination
- Components –
 Connective tissue cells
- Fixed cells
- Fibroblasts, fixed macrophages, fat or adipose cells, reticular cells, and undifferentiated
mesenchymal cells
- Free, mobile or wandering cells
 Abundant intercellular ground subst.
- Extracellular matrix minus the fibres
- Made up of protein complex CHO, ions, bound and free water
- Consistency
- Fluid
- Gelatinous
- Solid (Matrix)
 Fibres
- Collagen or white
- Elastic or Yellow
- Reticula of argyrophilic
 Blood vessels, Lymphatic vessels and nerves found in the ground subst. Except in a few connective
tissue
 Function
- Support
- Storage
- Transport
- Defense
- Repair
 Classification
- Intercellular material
1. Nature of the ground
2. Type of fibres
3. Abundance and arrangement of connective tissue fibres
- Type of cells
 Mesenchyme
- Typical, unspecialized tissue
- Parent connective tissue
- Origin of connective tissue
- Spongy
- It has a oval nuclei w/ well developed nucleoli
- Stellate cells w/ branching processes

Types of Connective tissue

- Connective tissue proper – contains fibres w/ intercellular substance from the fluid to soft jelly
- Blood and lymph – has liquid I.S.
- Cartilage – I.S. contain fibres and firm but pliable
- Bone – I.S. contains fibers and calcium salts making it hard and brittle

Connective Tissue Proper

 Loose connective tissue
 Arranged in meshwork
 Loose areolar
- Dense connective tissue - closely packed fibres
 Dense regular connective tissue – fibres are in parallel bundles
- Tendons, flat sheets, fascia ligaments and aponeurosis
 Dense irregular connective tissue – arranged in interwoven and random way
- Dermis of the skin
 Distribution
- Fibro – elastic
- Dense irregular( dermis of the skin, capsules or organs) and regular
- C.T. w/ special properties (Mucous C.T. (Wharton’s jelly of umbilical cord), Elastic C.T., Reticular
C.T., Elastic C.T., Pigment C.T. (Choroid and Iris), Embryonal C.T., Lymphoid or adenoid C.T.,
Interstitial C.T., Fibro reticular C.T.)

Cells
 Fixed Cells
- Responsible for production and maintenance of extracellular components and for storage or
reserve fuel
1. Fibroblast – Responsible for the formation of the fibres and elaboration
a. Large, flat, branching fusiform cells
b. Nucleus is oval w/ 1or 2 distince
c. It synthesizes collagen and elastic fibres in the granular ER
d. It also synthesizes intercellular subst.
2. Macrophages
a. Abundant in richly vascular areas and maybe attached to the fibres or within the
matrix
b. Irregularly shaped cells w/ short and blunt branching
c. Dark staining cytoplasm w/ few vacuoles and granules containing ingested
materials
d. Eats cells that are foreign
e. For defense, scavenger, phagocytic activity, Engulfing blood cells
f. Contribute to immunological reactions of the body, due to its ability to eat cells
3. Fat cells – SUYAN
a. Cells specialized for storage of neutral fats that constitute the normal
component of areolar tissue
b. Appear as droplets of oil surrounded by non-mitotic cells
c. Adipose connective tissue
 4. Mast Cells
a. Attached to blood vessels
b. Large cells, with ovoid nuclei
c. Well developed golgi apparatus
d. Produce heparin and serotonin
e. Actively involved in anaphylactic sensitivity rxn
5. Plasma cell
a. Ovoid, irregularly shaped cells
b. Smaller than macrophages but larger than lymphocytes
c. Nucleus is small and eccentrically placed
d. Chromatin is clumped in a regular manner against the nuclear membrane
showing a typical “cart wheel” or “Clock faced “
6. Pigment cells
a. With pigment granules – melanosomes
b. With two types;
A. Dermal chromatophore (melanophore) – macrophages that have
phagocytose
B. Epidermal melanocytes – derived from embryonic neural crest
7. Mesechymal Cells
a. Rounded or stellate cells w/c could develop into another cell
b. Smaller than fibroblast and similar to th primitive reticular walls
 Free
- Mobile
- Wandering cells
1. Blood leukocytes
a. Frequently found in CT and migrate across the capillary and venule from the
blood
b. Types
A. Lymphocytes
1. Smallest of the free cells of CT
2. Spherical darkly stain nucleus w/c occupies most of the cell and
w/ thin rim of homogenous basophilic cytoplasm
3. With two types;
a. T Lymph – long lived
b. B Lymph – short lived
B. Eosinophils
1. Abundant n the lactating breast, respiratory tract and
alimentary tracts
2. Bilobed nucleus w/ spherical granules
3. Accumulate in number in certain allergic, parasitic infxn
4. With slight amount of histamine
C. Neutrophils
1. Round cells w/ segmented nucleus ranging from 3 to 4 lobes and
w/ fine granules in the cytoplasm
2. Monocytes – rarely seen
3. Basophils – granules similar in composition
 Types of Fibres

 Collagen fibres
- Colorless fibres
- Widely distributed in tendon, joint capsules and ligaments
- Coarse fibres; long fibres in wavy bundles
- E.M. reveals transverse striations, periodicity 640 A or 2,600 A
- Great tensile strength
- Low refractive index
- Rapid pepsin digestion
- No trypsin digestion
- Weak acids and alkalis causes swelling
- Van Gieson stain – color as red
1. H & E - color as pink
2. Mallory – color as blue
3. Masson
 Elastic fibres
- Yellow
- Distributed in blood vessles
- Structure: fine
- No striation
- Little tensile strength
- Elasticity: considerable
- Chem. Comp. – elastin yields glycine and leucine in hydrolysis
- Pepsin digestion – resistant
- Little trypsin digestion
 Reticular Fibres
- Stained by silver technique
- Short fibres and fine
- Striations with periodicity like collagen fibres
- Chem. Prop., Refractive index is low, reticulin, similar to collagen
- No pepsin and trypsin digestion
 CONNECTIVE TISSUES

Connective Tissues

↓ ↓ ↓

Mainly protein/fiber Protein/ground substance Fluid matrix

Matrix matrix ↓

│ │ Blood

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

Fibrous Special Cartilage Bone

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

Loose Dense Adipose Hyaline Elastic Compact Cancellous

(Areolar) │

↓ ↓

Collagenous Elastic Fibrocartilage

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

Regular Irregular Regular Irregular

Connective Tissue – most abundant tissue in the body and has a variety of functions

FUNCTION:

1. binds together, supports and strengthens other body tissues

2. protects and insulates internal organs
3. compartmentalizes structures such as skeletal muscles
4. major transport system within the body
5. major site of stored energy reserve
6. main site of immune responses

General Features:
 1. 2 BASIC ELEMENTS: Cells and Matrix
MATRIX – fills the wide spaces between cells

- consists of protein-based fibers and ground substance, the material between the cells and fibers
- usually secreted by the CT cells and determines the tissue’s qualities
 Cartilage – matrix is firm but pliable
 Bone – matrix is hard but not pliable

2. Do not usually occur on body surfaces

EXCEPT: areolar CT – lines joint cavities

3. Highly vascular – rich blood supply

EXCEPT: cartilages and tendons = poor wound healing

4. Have nerve supply EXCEPT the cartilage

TYPES OF CELLS IN CT:

1.Fibroblasts

- large, flat cells with branching processes

- most numerous CT cell
- migrate through the CT, secreting the fibers and ground substance of the matrix
2. Macrophages
- develop from monocytes
- irregular shape with short branching projections capable of engulfing bacteria and cellular debris by
phagocytosis
 FIXED Mφ – reside in a particular cell (e.g. alveolar, spleen)
 WADERING Mφ – roam and gather at site of infection/inflammation

3. Plasma cells
- small cells that develop from B-lymphocytes
- secrete antibodies, proteins that attack or neutralize foreign substances in the body
- mostly reside in GIT and respiratory tract
- abundant in the salivary glands, LN, red BM
4. Mast cells
- abundant alongside the blood vessels
- produce HISTAMINE: a chemical that dilate blood vessels as part of an inflammatory response, the
body’s reaction to injury or infection

5. Adipocytes
- fat cells
- store triglycerides
- found in skin, around organs, heart and kidneys
 6. White blood cells
- migrate from blood in response to infection, parasitic invasion, and allergic responses

GROUND SUBSTANCE

- component between cells and fibers; maybe fluid, semifluid, gelatinous, or hard
- support cells, bind them together and provide medium through which substances are exchanged
between the blood and cells
- plays an active role on how tissues develop, migrate, proliferate and change shape and how they
carry out their metabolic functions
- contain water and large molecules: complex combinations of polysaccharides and proteins
 POLYSACCHARIDES:
1. Hyaluronic acid
2. chondroitin sulfate
3. Dermatan sulfate  GAGS (Glycosaminoglycans)
4. Keratan sulfate - associated with proteoglycans EXCEPT
hyaluronic acid

 PROTEOGLYCANS – fore a core protein

 GAGS – project from the protein like bristles of a brush; they trap water making the
ground substance more jelly like
 Hyaluronic acid
- viscous, slippery substance that binds together, lubricates joints, helps maintain shape of the
eyeballs

 chondroitin sulfate
- provides support and adhesiveness in cartilage, bone, skin, blood vessels

 Dermatan sulfate
- skin, tendon, and blood vessels, heart valves

 Keratan sulfate
- bone cartilage, cornea of the eye
 Adhesion proteins
- link components of ground substance to each other and surface of cells: FIBRONECTIN

FIBERS:

1. Collagen
2. Elastic
3. Reticular

 Collagen
- strong and resist pulling forces, but not stiff, which promote tissue flexibility
 - occur in bundles lying parallel to one another to afford great strength
- consists of COLLAGEN fibers: most abundant protein in the body
- found especially in bone, cartilage, tendons and ligaments

 Elastic
- smaller in diameter
- branch and join together to form a network within a tissue
- consists of protein: ELASTIN surrounded by a glycoprotein – FIBRILLIN which strengthens and
stabilizes elastin

 Reticular
- consists of collagen in fine bundles and a coating or glycoprotein
- provides support in the walls of BV and form a network around the cells in some tissues
- Areolar, adipose, smooth muscle tissues
- Thin and form branching networks
- Provide support and strength
- Form the stroma/covering/supporting framework of many soft organs: spleen and LN
- Form the basement membrane

Loose and dense CT  formed by fibroblasts

Cartilage  chondroblasts

Bone  osteoblasts and maintained by osteocytes

Blood  fluid CT

CONNECTIVE TISSUE TYPES

1. Loose CT
2. Dense CT
3. Cartilage
4. Bone
5. Blood
6. Lymph
LOOSE CT

- fibers are loosely arranged in the matrix

- ground substance is semifluid
- contains fibroblasts and adipocytes which permanently reside in the tissue

a. Areolar

- most abundant CT
 - Reticular fibers: is the most dominant fiber

- reticulocytes synthesize the reticular fibers and ground substance

- Adipose tissue: greater number of adipocytes that store lipid

> the lipid occupies most of the volume and pushes the cytoplasm and organelles to the
periphery

TYPE LOCATION FUNCTION

Areolar Beneath all epithelial cells Binds epithelium t underlying tissues and
allowsnutrients todifuse to the epithelial
cells

Forms support (framework) of these soft

tissue organs
Reticular Liver, spleen, lymph nodes
Stores lipids for fuel and thermal
insulation; cushion organs
Adipose Under skin and surrounding organs

DENSE CT

- packed with fibers and little ground substance and few fibroblasts
 Dense regular CT – bundles run parallel to each other
 Dense irregular CT – bundles irregularly arranges – reflects the direction of the pulling
forces from many different directions
 Elastic CT – extracellular matrix is packed with elastic fibers, allows stretch and then
regain the original size and shape (recoil)

TYPE LOCATION FUNCTION

Dense regular Forms ligaments (connect bone to bone), Resists pulling forces at attachment
tendons (connect muscles to bones), and points
aponeuroses (sheet-like tendons that
connect muscle to muscle or muscle to
bone)

Skin

Resists pulling forces that would tear the

Dense irregular skin when the skin is stretched
Lungs, trachea, and bronchi
Allows respiratory organs t recoil after
Elastic Aorta and other elastic arteries inhalation

Recoil of elastic tissue helps push blood

through the cardiovascular system

SUPPORTIVE TISSUES

CARTILAGE

TYPE LOCATION FUNCTION

Hyaline End of long bones Smooth surface that is resilient and

reduces friction at joint

Provides support and flexibility to ensure

Trachea and bronchi an open airway

Connects ribs to sternum with flexible

joint (breastplate)
Anterior ends of ribs
Template for bone formation

Provide strength t disks that form joints

Embryonic skeleton
between vertebrae and act as a shock
Fibrocartilage Intervertebral disk absorber

Cushions surfaces of bones forming knee

joints

Forms strong, flexible joint between hip

Cartilage pads in knees bones

Provides support and maintains shape of

external ear
Symphysis pubis
Provide support and elasticity to auditory
tube as it changes diameter to equalize
Elastic cartilage External canal pressure in middle ear (ear pops)

Provide support and elasticity to epiglottis

as it folds to block entrance to trachea
 Auditory tube while swallowing food and liquid

Epiglottis of larynx

Differentiation of the 3 cartilages:

Feature Hyaline Cartilage Fibrocartilage Elastic Cartilage

Matrix Semisolid rubbery or More rigid, less rubbery Large proportions of elastin
resilient matrix consistency in the matrix

Scattered throughout the Minimally scattered Found in a thread like

Chondrocytes matrix in lacunae network of elastic fibers

Moderate Low concentrations

High concentrations
Amount of collagen

Surrounded by Present
perichondrium Lacks perichondrium
Perichondrium

Most abundant cartilage;

weakest of the 3 cartilages Strongest - see above functions -
of the 3
OTHER cartilages
CHARACTERISTICS

EFFECTS OF AGING ON THE CARTILAGES AND BONES:

BONES –

1. Becomes brittle due to decreased collagen production relative to more minerals.

2. Decreased matrix due to slower rate of matrix formation by osteoblast; increased matrix breakdown
by osteoclasts
3. 0.3 – 0.5% age-related bone loss
4. Increased 10-fold bone loss among women after menopause (3-5% bone loss in 5-7 years)
CONNECTIVE AND SUPPORTIVE TISSUES –

1. Collagen increases in number but becomes more irregular becoming less flexible and more fragile.
2. Elastic fibers bind to Ca++ and becomes less elastic.
3. Reduced flexibility results in increased skin wrinkling and increased risk of bones fracture
4. Due to decrease in elasticity in blood vessels, atherosclerosis results as plaques form in the walls of BV,
containing collagen fibers, lipids, and calcium deposits  reduced blood supply, increased susceptibility to
vessel rupture.

BONE

- the hardest of the CTs

- protects body organs and provides support for organs and skeletal muscles
- stores calcium and phosphorus
- Houses the red and yellow marrow
- Composed and several different CT including bone and osseous tissue, periosteum, red and yellow
bone marrow, endosteum (membrane that lines a space within the bone that store yellow marrow)