1. CONNECTIVE TISSUES
THEY HAVE A STRUCTURAL AND SUPPORTING ROLE TOWARD THE OTHER TISSUE OF THE BODY.
COMPOSED OF CELLS DISPERSED IN AN EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX.
ARE HIGHELY VASCULARIZED TISSUES WITH THE ONLY EXCEPTION OF CARTILAGE.

2. CONNECTIVE TISSUE FUNCTIONS
SUPPORT OF TISSUES AND ORGANS
2. DEFENSE
3. NUTRITION OF OTHER TISSUES (EPITHELIA)
4. PARTECIPATE TO EMBRYO AND FOETAL DEVELOPMENT

3. CLASSIFICATION OF CONNECTIVE TISSUES
1. GENERAL CONNECTIVE TISSUES:
LOOSE FIBRILLAR
DENSE FIBRILLAR
ELASTIC
RETICULAR
ADIPOSE
2. SUPPORTING:
CARTILAGE
BONE
3. TROPHIC: and defense
BLOOD
LYMPH

4. GENERAL CONNECTIVE TISSUES
COMPONENTS OF THE EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX:
FIBERS (COLLAGEN, ELASTIC, RETICULAR)
AMORPHOUS COMPONENTS
-PROTEOGLYCANS = PROTEIN CORE AND GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS ATTACHED (ACIDIC SUGARS);
-GLYCOPROTEINS
CELLS: FIBROBLASTS, MACROPHAGES, MASTOCYTES, PLASMA CELLS, FAT CELLS, LYMPHOCYTES, GRANULOCYTES

5. CONNECTIVE TISSUE FIBERS
COLLAGEN FIBERS: RESISTENT TO TRACTION, A POLYMER OF THE PROTEIN COLLAGEN.
ELASTIC FIBERS: HIGHELY ELASTIC, FORMED BY POLYMERS OF THE PROTEINS ELASTIN AND FIBRILLIN
RETICULAR FIBERS: THIN POLYMERS OF COLLAGEN PROTEIN

6. CONNECTIVE TISSUE FIBERS
Collagene Fibers

7. CONNECTIVE TISSUE FIBERS
Elastic Fibre

8. EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX

9. CELLS OF THE GENERAL, LOOSE, CONNECTIVE TISSUE: (Fibroblasts, Macrophages, Mastocytes, Lymphocytes, Plasma Cells, Granulocytes, Fat Cells)

10. FIBROBLAST
Electron micrograph of a fibroblast in human connective tissue,
surrounded by bundles of finely banded collagen fibrils which they secrete.

11. MASTOCYTES

12. MASTOCYTES

13. GRANULOCYTES

14. LINFOCYTES AND PLASMACELLS

15. LINFOCYTES AND PLASMACELLS

16. MACROFAGES

17. MACROFAGES
Macrophages in chronically inflamed human connective tissue, showing prominent eosinophic cytoplasmic granules. Also seen are plasma cells, small lymphocytes and fibroblasts, and the endothelial lining of small vessels.

18. Loose connective tissue
General loose connective tissue (human), with bundles of collagen fi bres within an amorphous ground substance, penetrated by blood vessels, lymphatics and nerves. A small autonomic ganglion is arrowed.

19. Loose connective tissue

20. Loose connective tissue

21. Reticular connective tissue
Reticular fibres (type III collagen; reticulin) in the human liver, forming a delicate meshwork within the space of Disse, between hepatocytes plasma membranes and the sinusoidal endothelia.

22. Elastic connective tissue
Elastic fibres, seen as fine, dark, relatively straight fibres in a
whole-mount preparation of mesentery, stained for elastin. The wavy pink bands are collagen bundles and oval grey nuclei are mainly of fibroblasts.

23. Dense connective tissue

24. Dense regular connective
Dense regular connective tissue in a tendon. Thick parallel bundles of type 1 collagen (stained pink) give tendon its white colour in life. The elongated nuclei of inactive fibroblasts (tenocytes) are visible between collagen bundles.

25. Dense regular connective

26. ADIPOSE OR FAT TISSUE UNIVACUOLAR WHITE FAT:
FAT CELLS ARE COMMONLY PRESENT IN LOOSE FIBRILLAR CONNECTIVE TISSUE
ADIPOSE TISSUE IS A CONCENTRATION OF FAT CELLS.
UNIVACUOLAR WHITE FAT:
-SCARSE EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX WITH RETICULAR FIBERS
-ENERGY DEPOSIT (1Kg = 7000 Cal)
-MECHANICAL SHOCK ABSORBER (KIDNEY FAT PAD)
-THERMIC INSULATOR
-HORMONE PRODUCTION (leptin)
-INVOLVED IN THE INSURGENCE OF HYPERTENSION, ATHEROSCLEROSIS, TYPE II DIABETES)

27. Adipose tissue (human)
Adipose tissue (human). Adipocytes are distended polygonal cells filled with lipid, which has been extracted by the tissue processing. This leaves only the plasma membranes with scant cytoplasm and nuclei, occasionally visible compressed against the cell periphery. Small blood vessels penetrate the adipose tissue.

28. ADIPOSE OR FAT TISSUE MULTIVACUOLAR BROWN FAT:
-COLOR DUE TO THE ABUNDANCE OF MITOCHONDRIA
-SCARSE EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX WITH RETICULAR FIBERS
-ABUNDANT IN RODENTS, HIBERNANT ANIMALS, IN THE HUMAN FETOUS.
- SENSITIVE TO ADRENERGIC STIMULATION
-THERMOGENIC