Connective tissue forms a continuum between epithelial, muscle, and nervous tissues to integrate the body. Unlike epithelial cells, connective tissue cells are scattered within an extracellular matrix and not directly attached. Connective tissue functions include connecting tissues, protecting organs, storing energy, metabolite diffusion, defense, cell growth, wound healing. It contains cells like fibroblasts that secrete fibers and ground substance, macrophages that remove debris, plasma cells that produce antibodies, and adipocytes that store fat. The extracellular matrix contains collagen, elastic, and reticular fibers as well as glycosaminoglycans and glycoproteins in ground substance. There are several types of connective tissue including loose, dense, mucous, mesenchymal, reticular

1. By
Salehe Sekandari

2. Connective tissue
Connective tissue, as the name implies, forms a
continuum with epithelial tissue ,muscle, and
nervous tissue to maintain a functionally integrated
body.
 Unlike cells of Epithelial tissue, connective tissue cells are not
directly attached to one another.
Connective tissue consists of individual cells
scattered within an extracellular matrix.

3. Major Functions of Connective
Tissue
Connection of body tissues
Protection of organs
Storage of energy
Diffusion of metabolites
Defence
Cell growth and differentiation
Wound healing

4. Connective tissue elements
 Cells
 Fibers Extracellular matrix
 Ground substance

5. cells
 Fibroblasts (which secrete the fibers and
ground substance of the extracellular matrix).
 Macrophages (which ingest and remove foreign
material or damaged cells).
 Plasma cells(Which derived from B lymphocytes and
manufacture antibodies.
 Adipocytes (which store fat).
 Mast cells (which trigger inflammation).
 Mesenchymal cells
 lymphocytes, Eosinophils, and neutrophils

6. FIBROBLAST VS FIBROCYTE

7. Collagen Fibers
Elastic Fibers
Reticular Fibers

8. Collagen
Elastic

11. Ground substance
Components:
 Glycosaminoglycans
 dermatan sulfate, keratan sulfate, Heparan sulphate,
 chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid
 Glycoproteins
Laminin, Fibronectin, Chondronectin, Osteonectin
 Tissue Fluid

12. Connective Tissue:
 a-Loose CT
 b-Dense(regular & Irregular) CT
 C-Mucous CT
 D-Mesenchymal CT
 E-Reticular CT
 F-Adipose CT(unilocular(white) & Multilocular(brown))
 G-Elastic CT
 H-Cartilage
 I-Bone
 J-Blood
 K-Lymph

13. Loose connective tissue
Loose arrangement
of fibers and cells in
abundant ground
substance
Underlies all
epithelia, between
muscles, passageways
for nerves and blood
vessels
5-13

14. Dense Irregular Connective Tissue
 Densely packed, randomly arranged, collagen fibers and few
visible cells
 reticular layer of derm; capsules around organs
5-14

15. Dense Regular Connective Tissue
 Densely, packed, parallel collagen fibers
 compressed fibrobalast nuclei
 Tendons and ligaments hold bones together and
attach muscles to bones
5-15

16. Loose connective tissue
irregular Dense connective
tissue

17. White Adipose tissue

18. 1. Hyaline cartilage
2. Elastic cartilage
3. Fibrocartilage

19. Hyaline Cartilage

22. Hyaline Cartilage

23. Compact Bone
Spongy Bone

24. Spongy Bone

25. Compact Bone

26. Histology of Bone Tissue

27. Compact Bone
(Decalcified)

28. Compact Bone
Ground section
(Canal of volkman)

29. Compact Bone
Ground section

30. Thanks for
your attention!