1. Connective Tissue Notes

2. Most abundant and widely distributed tissue in the body
Function:
Binding, attachment and support (bones, tendons and ligaments, organs)

3. Protection- bones and adipose tissue
Insulation - adipose tissue
Storage - of energy and fat soluble substances
Transportation - blood

4. Characteristics Well vascularized – good blood supply
Exceptions: tendon and ligament (poor blood supply); cartilage (avascular)

5. Consists of three basic elements :
Cells – basic unit of life
Fibroblast - secrete fibers of matrix
Macrophages – phagocytize (eat up) bacteria or cell debris
Mast cells - produce histamine during inflammation; also involved in allergic responses

6. Ground substance – composed of water & other material
supports and binds cells together, and provides a medium for the exchange of materials

7. Fiber – tough string-like material embedded in ground substance
Extracellular matrix is made up of ground substance and fiber

8. TYPES OF FIBERS Collagen fibers - made of collagen
Tough and only slightly elastic
Occur in bundles with the fibers parallel to one another, which gives great tensile strength
Found in bone, tendons, and ligaments

10. Elastic fibers - composed of a protein called elastin
Very stretchy and branch and join to form a network.
Provide strength to tissues, but allows the tissue to be flexible and stretchy
Found in skin, blood vessels, and lungs

12. Reticular fibers - composed of collagen and glycoprotein
Provide support and form loose networks of fibrous tissue
Found around fat cells, nerve fibers, and skeletal and smooth muscle cells