ConnectiveConnective

Characteristics

• Most abundant tissue

• regenerates at varying rates

• relatively few cells and widely separated from each other.

• Found in bone, blood, ligaments, cartilage.

Functions1. Support

2. Binding

3. Protection

4. Transport

5. Storage

6. Fills space

Types• Identified by cells and matrix

• Matrix: complex mixture of nonliving material that makes up the extracellular matrix (ECM).

Human Blood tissue and its surrounding matrix

Cartilage• Solid, rubbery matrix.

• Cartilage is found in the joints, the rib cage, the ear, the nose, in the throat and between intervertebral disks.

Cartilage

• Chondrocytes → Cells found within the matrix, live in small pockets know as lacunae (lacus-pool).

• Matrix → non-living collagen (protein) fibers.

• No blood vessels (diffusion)

• 3 types:– Hyaline-white– Elastic-flexible– Fibrocartilage-

very tough

• The osteoarticular transplant (OATs) procedure. A. A region of damaged cartilage is evident on the femur (circled region). B. The lesion and any abnormal surrounding cartilage are removed, leaving a recipient site of normal bone and cartilage (C). A size-matched, donor allograft femur with healthy cartilage and bone is used to obtain a donor “plug” of bone and cartilage (inset).

COLOR CODE

• Picture #3

• O = Chondrocyte

• N = Lacuna

• P = Matrix (collagen fibers)

Adipose• Large cells, 1 vacuole (fat)

• 3 roles

1. stores energy

2. padding protection

3. insulator

Cells: Adipocytes

Matrix: Fat

COLOR CODE

• Picture #2

• Nucleus (Dark dot by the cell membrane)

• Fat Vacuole (the bubble)

Bone• Solid, crystalline matrix, vascular, will heal

back

• Cells → osteocytes

• Matrix → inorganic calcium, flexible collagen fibers.

• Diffusion occurs through the canaliculi in the bony matrix to distribute nutrients

Blood (liquid)

• Fluid connective tissue

• RBC’s : erythrocytes

• WBC’s: leukocytes

• Platelets (clotting): thrombocytes

• MATRIX: Interstitial fluid & Plasma

Loose

• Space filling tissue (seperates skin from muscle)

• Cells → fat cells, fibroblasts, mast cells (histomine), macrophage

• Matrix → mostly tissue fluid, collagen fibers, elastin fibers

Color code

COLOR CODE

• Picture 1

• A = fibroblast (structure)

• B = macrophage (digestion)

• C = fat cell (storage)

• D= mast cell (Protein, help healing)

• E= collagen (Protein)

• F = elastin (Flexible Protein)

Fibrous (dense)

• Cells → fibroblasts

• Matrix → tight packed parallel collagen fibers

• Not much regeneration

• Ex. Tendons (connect muscle to bone), ligaments (bone to bone)