1. Connective
Tissue

2. Function
• Bind together, Support & Strengthen organ
systems
• Protect and insulate internal organs
• Compartmentalize structures (skeletal muscles)
• Transport system (blood)
• Stored energy (adipose)
• Immune response (white blood cells)

3. Two Main Components
• Extra cellular matrix
– Consist of protein fiber GROUND SUBSTANCE
and ground substance
• Cells MATRIX
FIBER
– Cells not usually
touching each other
– Lots of extracellular CELLS
matrix
– Well vascularized

4. Cells
• Immature cells called “-blasts”
• Mature cells called “-cytes”
– Loose & dense CT
•  fibroblasts, fibrocytes
– Cartilage
•  chondroblasts, chondrocytes
– Bone
•  osteoblasts, osteocytes

5. Cell Types
• Fibroblasts
– Most numerous, secrete fibers
• Macrophages
– Type of WBC that phagocytizes
bacteria
• Plasma Cells
– From B-lymphocytes, secrete
antibodies
• Mast Cells
– Secrete histamine, dilates blood
vessels
• Adipocytes
– Fat cells, store triglycerides
• White Blood Cells (WBC)
– Immune cells that migrate within
CT

6. PLASMA CELLS
ADIPOSE CELLS
MAST CELL

7. The Matrix
• Ground Substance
– Fluid, gel, calcified; between cells and
fibers
• Fibers
– Collagen
• Strong, flexible, parallel fibers, resist stretch
• Most abundant in body
• Tendons and ligaments
– Elastic
• Branching, fibrous network, of elastin and
fibrillin; VERY elastic
• Skin, blood vessels, lung
• Marfan’s Syndrome defective fibrillin gene
– Reticular
• Collagen & glycoprotein network
• Nerves, smooth muscle, spleen, lymph nodes

8. Classification of CT
• Embryonic
• Mature
– Loose
– Dense
– Cartilage
– Bone
– Blood & lymph

9. Loose CT
• Areolar
• Adipose
• Reticular

10. Dense CT
• Dense regular
• Dense irregular
• Elastic

11. Cartilage
• Hyaline
• Fibrocartilage
• Elastic cartilage

12. Bone

13. Blood & Lymph
Platelets
Red Blood Cells
Neutrophil (WBC)
Monocyte (WBC)
Lymphocyte (WBC)