Chapter 4, Part 2

The Tissue Level of

Organization
Connective Tissue

 Most abundant and widely distributed

tissues in the body
 Numerous functions
 Binds tissues together
 Supports and strengthen tissue
 Protects and insulates internal organs
 Compartmentalize and transport
 Energy reserves and immune responses
Extracellular matrix of
Connective Tissue

 Extracellularmatrix is the material

located between the cells
 Consist of protein fibers and ground
substance
 Connective tissue is highly vascular
 Supplied with nerves
 Exception is cartilage and tendon. Both
have little or no blood supply and no
nerves
Cells and Fibers in
Connective Tissue
Connective Tissue Cells
 Fibroblasts
 Secrete fibers and components of ground
substance
 Adipocytes (fat cells)
 Store triglycerides (fat)
 Mast cells
 Produce histamine
 White blood cells
 Immune response
 Neutrophil and Eosinophils
 Macrophages
 Engulf bacteria and cellular debris by
phagocytosis
 Plasma cells
Connective Tissue
Extracellular Matrix

 Ground substance
 Between cells and fibers
Fluid, semifluid, gelatinous, or calcified
 Functions to support and bind cells, store water, and
allow exchange between blood and cells
 Complex combination of proteins and
polysaccharides
Fibers
 Collagen fibers
 Elastic fibers
 Reticular fibers
Classification of
Connective Tissues
 Embryonic connective tissue
 Mesenchyme and mucous connective tissue
 Mature connective tissue
 Loose connective tissue
Areolar, adipose, and reticular
 Dense connective tissue
Dense regular, dense irregular, and elastic
 Cartilage
Hyaline, fibrocartilage, and elastic cartilage
 Bone tissue
 Liquid connective tissue
Blood and lymph
Embryonic Connective Tissue

 Mesenchyme
Gives rise to all other connective tissues
 Mucous (Wharton’s Jelly)
Found in umbilical cord of the fetus
Loose Connective Tissue:
Areolar Connective Tissue

 Most widely distributed in the body

 Contains several types of cells and all three fibers
Loose Connective Tissue:
Adipose Tissue

 Contains adipocytes
 Good for insulation and energy reserves
 White (common) and brown adipose tissue
Loose Connective Tissue:
Reticular Connective Tissue

 Fine interlacing reticular fibers and cells

 Forms the stroma of liver, spleen, and lymph nodes
Dense Connective Tissue

 Dense connective tissue

 Contains numerous, thicker, and denser fibers
 Packed closely with fewer cells than loose connective
tissue
 Dense regular connective tissue
 Bundles of collagen fibers are regularly arranged in
parallel patterns for strength
 Tendons and most ligaments
Types of Mature Connective
Tissue: Dense Irregular
Connective Tissue
 Collagen fibers are usually irregularly arranged
 Found where pulling forces are exerted in many
directions
 Dermis of skin and heart
Dense Connective Tissue:
Elastic Connective Tissue
 Contain branching elastic fibers
 Strong and can recoil to original shape after
stretching
 Lung tissue and arteries
Types of Mature Connective
Tissue: Cartilage

 Cartilage is a dense network of

collagen fibers and elastic fibers
firmly embedded in chondroitin
sulfate
 Chrondrocytes
Cartilage cells found in the spaces called
lucunae
 Pericondrium
Covering of dense irregular connective tissue
that surrounds the cartilage
Two layers: outer fibrous layer and inner
cellular layer
 No blood vessels or nerves, except
Hyaline cartilage

 Most abundant cartilage in the body

 Surrounding by perichondrium (some exceptions like
articular cartilage)
 Provide flexibility and support. Reduces friction
Fibrocartilage

 Chondrocytes are scattered among bundles of

collagen fibers within the extracellular matrix
 Lack a perichondrium
 Strongest type of cartilage
 Found in intervertebral disc (between vertebrae)
Elastic Cartilage

 Chondrocytes are located within a threadlike

network of elastic fibers
 Perichondrium is present
 Provides strength and elasticity
Repair and Growth of
Cartilage
 Cartilage grows slowly
 When injured or inflamed, repairs is
slow due to its avascular nature.
 Two patterns of cartilage growth:
 Interstitial growth
Growth from within the tissue
 Appositional growth
Growth at the outer surface of the tissue
Bone tissue
 Bones are organs composed of several
different connective tissues: bone (osseous)
tissue, periosteum, and endosteum.
 Compact or spongy
 Osteon or haversian system
 Spongy bone lacks osteons. They have columns
called trabeculae
Liquid Connective Tissue

 Blood tissue
 Connective tissue with liquid extracellular matrix called
blood plasma
 Lymph
Membranes
Epithelial Membranes

 Mucous membranes
 Lines a body cavity that opens directly to
the exterior
 Epithelial layer is important for the
body’s defense against pathogens
 Connective tissue layer is areolar
connective tissue and is called lamina
propria
Epithelial Membranes
 Serous membranes or serosa
 Lines a body cavity that does not open
directly to the exterior. Also covers the
organs that lie within the cavity
 Consist of areolar connective tissue
covered by mesothelium (simple
squamous epithelium) that secrete a
serous fluid for lubrication
Synovial Membranes

 Synovial membranes
 Lines joints and contains connective
tissue but not epithelium
Muscular Tissue

 Consistsof elongated cells called

muscle fibers or myocytes
 Cells use ATP to generate force
 Several functions of muscle tissue
 Classified into 3 types: skeletal,
cardiac, and smooth muscular tissue
Skeletal Muscle Tissue

 Attached to bones of the skeleton

 Have striations
 Voluntary movement or contractions by conscious
control
 Vary in length (up to 40 cm) and are roughly
cylindrical in shape
Muscular Tissue
 Cardiac muscle tissue
 Have striations
 Involuntary movement or contraction is not
consciously controlled
 Intercalated disc unique to cardiac muscle tissue
Smooth Muscle Tissue

 Walls of hollow internal structures

Blood vessels, airways of lungs, stomach, and
intestines
 Nonstriated
 Usually involuntary control
Nervous Tissue
 Consists of two principle types of cells
 Neurons or nerve cells
 Neuroglia
Excitable Cells

 Neurons and muscle fibers

 Exhibit electrical excitability
 The ability to respond to certain stimuli
by producing electrical signals such as
action potentials
 Actions potentials propagate along a
nerve or muscle plasma membrane to
cause a response
Release of neurotransmitters
Muscle contraction
Tissue Repair: Restoring
Homeostasis
 When tissue damage is extensive
both stroma and parenchymal cells
are active in repair
 Fibroblast divide rapidly
 New collagen fibers are manufactured
 New blood capillaries supply materials
for healing
 All
of these process create an
actively growing connective tissue
called granulation tissue
Aging and Tissues

 Tissue heal faster in young adults

 Surgery of a fetus normally leaves no
scars
 Young tissues have a better
nutritional state, blood supply, and
higher metabolic rate
 Extracellular components also
changes with age
 Changes in the body’s use of glucose,
collagen, and elastic fibers contribute
to the aging process
End of Chapter 4, Part 2