Connective Tissue

1. Connective Tissue Bringing Us All Together!

2. Introduction • Understanding our next type of tissue is a challenge because it is composed of many different things • For us to grasp the aspects of connective tissue, we have to imagine it much like a good bowl of gumbo

3. Introduction • I am not normally one for soup… • A good bowl of seafood gumbo is one of my favorite meals • It is created from many different ingredients coming together to make a thick and rich soup that has one defined flavor • A good bowl of gumbo is a defined meal made of many different parts

4. Connective Tissue • Connective tissues vary wildly in appearance and function, however they all contain three basic things • Specialized cells • Extracellular protein fibers • A fluid (ground substance) • These three things can be found throughout the body performing different functions

5. Connective Tissue • When we talk about the combination of extracellular fibers and ground substance together, it is referred to as the matrix • The matrix makes up the large part of most connective tissues • This is different than epithelium where cells make up the majority of the tissue

6. Types of Connective Tissue • There are three different types of connective tissue that are in the body • These three different types of connective tissue can be found in different parts of the body • They all have wildly different functions and properties

7. Types of Connective Tissue • Connective tissue proper contains tissues with many different cells and extracellular fibers in a syrupy ground substance • This is a very broad category that includes two main categories • Loose connective tissue has few supporting fibers • Dense connective tissue has many supporting fibers

8. Types of Connective Tissue • Loose connective tissue contains tissues such as adipose tissue • Adipose tissue is commonly referred to as fat • It is commonly used as a long term storage mechanism • It has very loose groupings of fibers to create a very loosely bound substance

9. Video • Liposuction Surgery… • Kinda gross • Not for everyone… • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLu-nbFaRW4

10. Types of Connective Tissue • Dense connective tissue has a larger number of fibers that make up the matrix • Tendons and ligaments are examples of dense connective tissue • They are tough parts of the body that have a strong and connection with other parts of the body

11. Video • Ok… this is actual surgery • Please do not watch if you do not want to • There will be cutting into skin, blood and stitching of broken parts • You have been warned… • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP2medWpDLE

12. Types of Connective Tissue • Fluid connective tissues have a distinctive population of cells and dissolved proteins within a watery ground substance • This type of connective tissue is circulated around the body • There are only two main types • Blood tissue • Lymph tissue

13. Video • I really don’t know why I am assaulting you with gross things today • But here are some interesting facts about blood • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlx3-1E1c8U

14. Types of Connective Tissue • Supporting connective tissues are tissues that have fewer cells and more supporting fibers • Supporting connective tissues can either help protect parts of the body or support parts of the body • The two main types are • Cartilage • Bone

15. Connective Tissue Proper • Connective tissue proper can be compared to retired/elderly people from New Jersey • Other than being important members of our community… what do they do in the winter? • Their migration is similar to connective tissue proper • Some retired/elderly people travel to their winter home down south • While many of them stay in New Jersey to be near their families

16. Connective Tissue Proper • Permanent residents are cells that do not migrate around the body • They are locked in location and often deal with energy storage and local maintenance • Migratory cells move around the body • These cells will respond to issues in different tissues around the body

17. Connective Tissue Proper • There are several different types of permanent residents • Fibroblasts numerous in the body and are the only cells always present in it • They secrete the proteins that and carbohydrates that create the ground substance and the extracellular protein fibers

18. Connective Tissue Proper • Fibrocytes are responsible for maintaining the extracellular fibers of connective tissue proper • Adipocytes (fat cells) are composed of a large droplet of fat and all other organelles pushed off to the side • They are used for the long term storage of energy • Mast cells are located near blood vessels and release histamine

19. Connective Tissue Proper • Mesenchymal cells are local stem cells that can create fibroblasts, macrophages or other connective tissue cells • Melanocytes store the pigment melanin, which helps protect against radiation

20. Connective Tissue Proper • Lymphocytes migrate throughout the body defending the body against disease • Macrophages are large amoeboid cells that engulf damaged cells or pathogens that are in the tissues • Macro – Large • Phage – Eat or Consume

21. Dense Connective Tissue • In dense regular connective tissue the fibers are parallel to each other and are allied to the forces being applied to each other • Tendons connect skeletal muscles to bone • Ligaments connect bones together or stabilize organs • Aponeurosis is a large flat sheet that connects to large flat muscles to bones or muscles

22. Dense Connective Tissue • Dense irregular connective tissue has an interwoven network of fibers • Often will strengthen and support an area that receives forces from all directions • This is found in the skin • Leather is an excellent example