This document summarizes the four main types of connective tissue: connective tissue proper, blood and lymph, cartilage, and bone. It describes their characteristics, functions, subtypes, and tissue structures. Connective tissues provide structure and support, defense, nutrient storage and transport, and cushioning/protection. They contain cells, fibers, and ground substance and include areolar, adipose, dense regular, dense irregular, elastic, and reticular connective tissue proper; blood and lymph fluid; hyaline, elastic, and fibrocartilage; and compact and cancellous bone tissue.

1. Connective Tissues
4 subtypes:4 subtypes:
Connective Tissue Proper (CTP)Connective Tissue Proper (CTP)
Blood and LymphBlood and Lymph
CartilageCartilage
BoneBone

2. Characteristics of all C.T.
CellsCells
fixed and mobilefixed and mobile
FibersFibers
collagencollagen
elasticelastic
reticularreticular
Ground substanceGround substance
may be fluid or solid, found in between cellsmay be fluid or solid, found in between cells
and fibersand fibers

3. C. T. functions
structure and supportstructure and support
defensedefense
storage of nutrientsstorage of nutrients
transport of nutrientstransport of nutrients
cushioning/protectioncushioning/protection

4. CTP types
Loose CTPLoose CTP
areolarareolar
fibroblastsfibroblasts
collagen and elastic fibers loosely organizedcollagen and elastic fibers loosely organized
syrupy ground substancesyrupy ground substance
fill spacesfill spaces

5. Loose CTP cont
AdiposeAdipose
fat cellsfat cells
few fibersfew fibers
store energystore energy
cushions kidneyscushions kidneys

6. Fibrous CTP
Dense regularDense regular
mostly collagen fibersmostly collagen fibers
run primarily in one directionrun primarily in one direction
fibroblastsfibroblasts
very strong in one directionvery strong in one direction
tendonstendons
ligamentsligaments
fasciafascia

7. Fibrous cont.
Dense irregularDense irregular
multidirectional fibers, mostly collagenmultidirectional fibers, mostly collagen
multidirectional strengthmultidirectional strength
dermis of skindermis of skin
encapsulate organsencapsulate organs

8. Fibrous cont.
elasticelastic
dominated by elastic fibersdominated by elastic fibers
fibroblastsfibroblasts
stretchablestretchable
around bladderaround bladder
lungslungs
arteriesarteries

9. Reticular
meshwork of reticular fibersmeshwork of reticular fibers
spaces for cells of an organspaces for cells of an organ
spleenspleen
liverliver
lymph nodeslymph nodes
bone marrowbone marrow

10. Blood and Lymph
fluid ground substancefluid ground substance
varied cell populationvaried cell population
transport nutrients and wastetransport nutrients and waste
defensedefense
few fibers, mostly soluble unless stimulatedfew fibers, mostly soluble unless stimulated
to clump togetherto clump together

11. Blood
50% plasma, mostly water50% plasma, mostly water
50% RBCs - erythrocytes, hemoglobin50% RBCs - erythrocytes, hemoglobin
<1% WBCs - leukocytes, several types<1% WBCs - leukocytes, several types
granular - neutrophils, eosinophils, basophilsgranular - neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils
agranular - lymphocytes, macrophagesagranular - lymphocytes, macrophages
fight infectionfight infection
<1% platelets - thrombocytes<1% platelets - thrombocytes

12. Lymph
mostly ground substancemostly ground substance
lymphocytes are primary celllymphocytes are primary cell
filtered for foreign particlesfiltered for foreign particles

13. Cartilage
CharacteristicsCharacteristics
Avascular, heals slowlyAvascular, heals slowly
Ground substance is chondroitin sulfate, aGround substance is chondroitin sulfate, a
proteoglycan gelproteoglycan gel
MatrixMatrix
ChondrocytesChondrocytes
LacunaeLacunae
PerichondriumPerichondrium

14. Cartilage types
Hyaline cartilageHyaline cartilage
About 40% collagen fibersAbout 40% collagen fibers
Stiff, but somewhat flexibleStiff, but somewhat flexible
Nose, ribs, trachea, articular cartilage in jointsNose, ribs, trachea, articular cartilage in joints

15. Cart. Cont.
Elastic cartilageElastic cartilage
Elastic fibersElastic fibers
Very flexibleVery flexible
Damage heals with collagen fibersDamage heals with collagen fibers
Ex: cauliflower earEx: cauliflower ear
Ears, epiglottisEars, epiglottis

16. Cart. Cont.
FibrocartilageFibrocartilage
Higher % of cartilage is collagen fibersHigher % of cartilage is collagen fibers
less gel in matrixless gel in matrix
Provides cushioning in weight bearing jointsProvides cushioning in weight bearing joints
Meniscii of knees, intervertebral disks,Meniscii of knees, intervertebral disks,
sacroiliac jointsacroiliac joint

17. Bone
Osseous tissueOsseous tissue
Solid matrix composed of collagen fibers andSolid matrix composed of collagen fibers and
calcium saltscalcium salts
PeriosteumPeriosteum
Highly vascularHighly vascular
Heals well, fairly quicklyHeals well, fairly quickly
OsteoblastsOsteoblasts
OsteoclastsOsteoclasts

18. Bone tissue structure
Compact boneCompact bone
Found in the bone shaft, thin layer covers all boneFound in the bone shaft, thin layer covers all bone
OsteonOsteon
Osteonic canalOsteonic canal
Volkmann canalVolkmann canal
LacunaeLacunae
OsteocytesOsteocytes
CanaliculiCanaliculi

19. Bone cont.
Cancellous (Spongy) boneCancellous (Spongy) bone
Open channels throughout bone, lessensOpen channels throughout bone, lessens
weight,weight,
Knobby ends of bones, flat bonesKnobby ends of bones, flat bones