1. Connective Tissue Connects body parts
Most abundant and widely distributed
Protects, supports, and binds together other tissues

2. Characteristics
Most are vascularized- except tendons, cartilages, and ligaments
Made up many different types of cells and nonliving substances (extracellular matrix)

3. Extracellular Matrix ECM- produced by connective tissue cells
Made up of two elements: ground substance and fibers
Ground substance- water, adhesion proteins, and polysaccharides
Is a water reservoir for the body
Fibers- collagen (white) strength, elastic (yellow) stretch and coil, reticular (fine collagen fibers form internal skeleton of soft organs)
Due to ECM connective tissues form soft packing tissue around organs to bear weight, withstand stretching

5. Types of Connective Tissues
A. Bone-
osseous- composed of bone cells sitting on cavities called lacunae and surrounded by a hard matrix that contains calcium, salts, and large #’s of collagen
Bone protects and supports organs

6. B. Cartilage
Less hard and more flexible
Most common- hyaline cartilage- abundant collagen fibers with rubbery matrix (glassy, blue-white appearance)
Forms supporting structures such has larynx, attaches ribs to breastbone, covers the ends of many bones near joints
Cartilage is replaced by bone in infants
Fibrocartilage forms disks b/t vertebrae
Elastic cartilage- found in ear

7. C. Dense Connective Tissue (dense fibrous tissue)
Mostly made up of collagen fibers
Fibroblasts- found inbetween collagen and forms the building blocks of fibers
Forms strong structures such as tendons and ligaments
Tendons- atttach skeletal muscle to bone
Ligaments- connect bones to bones (joints) (contain more elastic fibers than tendons)
Makes up lower layers of the skin (dermis)

8. D. Loose Connective Tissue-
Are softer and have more cells and fewer fibers
1. Areolar tissue- soft, pliable, cobwebby tissue that cushions and protects organs
It is a packaging tissue and “glue” holds internal organs in their positions
Fibers form loose network appears to be empty space
Reservoir for water and salts
When inflamed, the areolar soaks up excess fluid and becomes “puffy” (edema)
Phagocytes wonder through this tissue to pick up dead cells, debris

9. D2- Adipose Tissue- fat
Its an areolar tissue in which fat cells predominate
Drop of oil occupies the cell, compressing the nucleus
Forms tissue beneath the skin, insulates the body
Protects some organs (kidenys) and cushions eyballs in socket
Fat deposits in the body – hips, and breats where it is stored for fuel if needed

10. E- Blood (vascular tissue)
Blood cells surrounded by nonliving matrix (plasma)
Fibers are protein molecules only visible during clotting
Blood carries wastes, nutrients, and respiratory gases