HUMAN HISTOLOGY LABORATORY MIDTERM NOTES

Jay-Ann Abila 2nd Year – 3rd Semester

MED-244

LESSON 3: MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION of CONNECTIVE TISSUES

4 types of CONNECTIVE tissue Origin Of Connective Tissues
➢ Mesenchyme
➢ Connective tissue proper o Loose and fluid type of embryonic tissues
➢ Cartilage o Common origin of all connective tissues
➢ Bone o Common origin – progenitor cell (originated) including cartilage, bone and
➢ Blood blood
➢ Mesenchymal cells
Connective Tissues
o Small spindle-shaped cells with large nuclei, taper (multipotent stem cells)
o It can differentiate into different cells, and it can serve as multipotent stem
➢ A most diverse group of tissues
cells.
➢ Supports and binds tissues for all organs
o Stem cells can be differentiate as progenitor cells for cartilage, bone, and
Components blood
➢ Extracellular Matrix ECM (Intercellular o It can be situated in any way and can move from place to place.
space) o Unlike the Epithelial cells which have fixed and neatly arranged in sheets,
o Transparent and colorless Mesenchymal cells are moving (motile)
o Non-living component of connective
tissues Characteristics of Connective tissue
o Inert matrix - lacks the ability to move ➢ Different degrees of vascularity (blood flow)
1. Ground Substance o Cartilage & epithelial tissue = avascular
2. Fiber o Dense irregular tissue in skin = vascular
➢ Its cells are separated by a large amount of Intercellular space.
Ground Substance FIbers
➢ Watery, rubbery, unstructured material that fills the Collagen Fibers
spaces between cells. ➢ Strongest and most abundant
➢ It is Highly hydrated type of fiber, and tough and
➢ Protects the cells in the extracellular matrix (ECM) flexible.
➢ Flexible – made of starch, protein molecules, and ➢ Appears neat and smooth
water. “white, flexible” structures
3 major kinds of macromolecules of ground substance under the microscope
➢ Proteoglycans ➢ Provides great resistance to tension
o Anchor the framework of ground substance ➢ Most abundant protein in the human body.
o Perlecan – The key proteoglycan in all basal ➢ Major product of fibroblast
laminae ➢ Keloid – Local swelling by abnormally large amount of collagen
o Aggrecan (Large) – most abundant
proteoglycans in articular cartilage Elastic Fibers
➢ Form a branching framework
➢ Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) – aka ➢ Stretch and recoil like rubber
Mucopolysaccharides bands
o It sprouts from proteoglycans ➢ longer and thinner which form
o Hyaluronan – Largest most ubiquitous of all a branching framework within
GAGS; the matrix.
o Its viscous and it binds a considerable amount ➢ Made of protein elastin – allows them to stretch and recoil.
of water. ➢ Found in the skin, lungs and blood vessel walls.
o It gives an important role by allowing molecular
diffusion Reticular Fibers
o It also gives lubrication of organ and joint ➢ Short, finer collagen (type 3)
fibers with an extra coating of
➢ Multi-adhesive Glycoproteins glycoprotein.
Binding sites for cell surface integrins and macromolecules ➢ Forms delicate, sponge-like
networks that cradle and
Fibers support the organs.
➢ It provides support and structure to the otherwise ➢ Found in the delicate connective tissue of many organs, notable in the
shapeless ground substance immune system
➢ Its collagen fibers are Type III
 Cells in connective tissue
Blasts Different types with different functions of blast
➢ Literally means “forming” ➢ Chondroblast -> Chondrocytes
➢ -blast are immature cells or o blast cells of cartilage
stem cells ➢ Osteoblast -> Osteocytes
➢ Undergoes mitosis to o blast cells of the bone tissue
replicate themselves ➢ Macrophages
➢ Once they mature they o provide immune defense for connective tissues, phagocytize bacteria, foreign materials,
transition and dead cells
from –blast to –cyte* o It is capable of phagocytosis, wherein bacterial, dead cells, and cell debris are ingested
o Also known as “histiocytes”
o Attracted to the site of inflammation

CONNECTIVE TISSUE PROPER

Loose Dense
➢ Areolar ➢ Regular
➢ Reticular ➢ Irregular
➢ Adipose ➢ elastic
➢ The most diverse group in the tissue family; Lots of variety
➢ We can differentiate the loose into dense connective tissue by the number of fibers on the ground substance
LOOSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE DENSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE
➢ Have fewer fibers, and more cells and more ground substance. 1. Regular – tendon, stroma of cornea
➢ Mostly composed of hyaluronan 2. Irregular – dermis, capsules of organs
➢ Elastin fiber - helps snap the skin back to its place ➢ Tough and nonelastic
➢ Collagen help it anchor to its place Tendon Ligament
1. Mesenchyme – can be found in embryo and fetus ➢ Dense connective ➢ Dense connective
2. Mucoid – Wharton’s jelly or umbilical cord; Lots hyaluronan tissue tissue
(gelatinous) ➢ Connects your bone to ➢ Connects your bone to
3. Adipose – subcutaneous tissue (dermis) muscle and muscle to bone
4. Reticular – bone marrow, lymph node, spleen muscle
LOOSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Areolar Connective Tissue Adipose Connective Tissue Reticular Connective Tissue
➢ The most common loose connective ➢ It is located on the subcutaneous tissue ➢ Holds your blood cells in place in many
tissue (dermis) of the blood-forming organs.
➢ Found all over the body. ➢ Fat tissue ➢ Similar to areolar tissue but with a
➢ Under the epithelial tissues and ➢ Main lipid present is triglycerides woven mass of reticular fibers instead
wrapped around the organs ➢ The average person’s weight is about of collagen and elastin fibers
➢ It has a loose and random arrangement 18% adipose tissue or fat stores. ➢ Provides the soft internal framework or
of fibers. ➢ Provides insulation against heat loss. stroma of the spleen, lymph nodes and
➢ Few fibroblast cells. ➢ Provides fuel storage and keeps us alive bone marrow.
➢ Has a lot of open space. during starvation or fasting. ➢ Supports developing blood cells and
➢ Is effective in holding the watery, salty ➢ Is not mostly ground substance. holds your blood in place inside the
ground substance. ➢ Is mostly cells – adipocytes – which organs
➢ “Sponge” for watery ground substance store lipids for later use
 DENSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE PROPER
Regular Dense Connective Tissue Irregular Dense Connective Tissue Elastic Connective Tissue

➢ Located on the tendon and on the ➢ Can be located on dermis and on the ➢ Collagen with interwoven elastic
stroma of cornea capsules of organs fibers.
➢ Collagen fibers are stacked neatly in ➢ Collagen fibers are not stacked ➢ Found in places in the body that
regular rows regularly in rows requires more elasticity and rigidity
➢ Lots compact of collagen fibers and ➢ The fibers are thicker and arrangers such as around the joints.
erratically(unpredictable) ➢ Connecting the vertebrae so the
➢ Found wherever tension might be spine can curve and twist.
exerted in lots of different directions ➢ Component of arteries – to provide
such as the leathery dermis under support and flexibility.
the skin.
➢ There are bundles of collagen