

Histology NOTES BY RED 

digestive tract's submucosa
lymph nodes
 various forms of fascia
Connective tissue  bone periosteum
 perichondrium
Provides support, binds together, and protects tissues and  testicular tunica albuginea
organs of the body.

Connective tissue consists of three main Embryonic connective tissue

components: cells, protein fibers, and an
amorphous ground substance. Together the fibers and is formed during the development of the
ground substance make up the extracellular matrix. embryo. Mesenchyme develops into the various connective
Whereas the other tissue types (epithelium, muscle, and tissues of the body. Mucoid connective tissue is a
nervous tissue) are largely made up of cells, the extracellular gelatinous substance found in the umbilical cord.
matrix is the major component of most connective tissue.
Functions
• Support Structural & Mechanical
Connective Tissue Fibers • Packing Fills spaces, Shape to the organ
• Storage Adipose tissue: energy Loose
The three types of connective tissue fibers are:
areolar CT: water & Electrolytes
• Transport Medium for Nutrients & Metabolic
Collagen fibers - most are type I collagen (most
wastes
abundant protein in the body)
• Repair Fibroblasts: matrix and fibres
• Defense Cells: Phagocytosis or Antibodies
 Tensile strength - resistance to
stretching
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
Elastic fibers - contain elastin and fibrillin Connective tissue cells are usually divided into two types:

 Elasticity - can be stretched, yet still, Fixed cells (or resident cells) –
return to its original length
 The resident population of cells that develop and
remain within connective tissue. Fibroblasts,
Reticular fibers - contain type III collagen adipocytes (fat cells), macrophages, and mast cells
are regarded as resident cells.
 Support – network of thin fibers  Fixed cells are normal components of connective
tissue.
Loose (areolar) connective tissue Fixed cells (intrinsic cells)
 Fibroblast & Fibrocytes
has a sparse, irregular network of collagen and elastic fibers  Mesenchymal cells
suspended within a relatively large amount of ground  Adipocyte
substance.  Fixed macrophages
Examples of loose connective tissue:
 tendons Transient cells (or wandering cells) –
 ligaments  leukocytes (white blood cells) that migrate from the
 fat bloodstream into connective tissue in response to
 cartilage inflammation or tissue damage.
 and blood Free cells (extrinsic cells/Wandering Cells)
 Free Macrophage
Dense regular connective tissue  Mast cell
 Plasma cells
is composed of type I collagen fibers oriented in the same  Leucocytes
direction. It provides tensile strength in one direction.

Examples of dense regular connective tissue:

 Tendons
Fibroblasts produce and maintain the extracellular
matrix. They are the most common cell type in connective
 Ligaments
tissue.
 Perichondrium around the tracheal cartilage
Most commonly seen:
 Tunica albuginea around the testis
The dense regular connective tissue occurs in two forms:  Fusiform with slender cytoplasmic process
white or yellow fibrous connective tissue.  Large oval nucleus,
 Responsible for fiber production
 Old cells are fibrocyte
Dense irregular connective tissue
 Contractile Cells are myofibroblast
contains type I collagen fibers woven in multiple directions.
It provides tensile strength in multiple directions. Adipocytes
Adipocytes, also known as lipocytes and fat cells, are the
cells that primarily compose adipose tissue, specialized in
Examples of dense irregular connective tissue: storing energy as fat. Adipocytes are derived from
mesenchymal stem cells which give rise to adipocytes  Heterochromatin as cartwheel nucleus -Derived
through adipogenesis. from B lymphocyte
 Store lipid  Produces immunoglobulin
 Appears as an empty space  Antibody collected as Russell body
 Incapable to division  Present in the respiratory tract and gastrointestinal
 Aggregate in adipose tissue with reticular fibre tract
(Adipocytes)
There are two types of adipose tissue: Eosinophils are involved in many inflammatory
White fat - long-term storage of energy processes, including parasitic infections, allergic diseases,
Brown fat - generation of heat (thermogenesis) and asthma.

White adipocytes are specialized for the synthesis Collagen

and storage of triglycerides. White fat also functions as a Tropocollagen is synthesized by fibroblasts and released into
cushion for organs and to insulate the body. extracellular space where they get polymerized to form
collagen fibrils.
Brown adipocytes are specialized to generate heat.
Collagen on boiling gives gelatin More than 25 types are
Newborns have a higher proportion of brown fat (5% of body
present.
weight) than adults, which gradually decreases with age.
collagen is also synthesized by:
 Chondroblasts: in collagen
Macrophages are phagocytic cells that engulf and  Osteoblasts: in bone
digest microbes, cellular debris, and foreign substances.  Smooth Muscle: in blood vessels
Monocytes develop in bone marrow, circulate in the  Odontoblasts: in the tooth
bloodstream, and migrate into connective tissue, where they
differentiate into macrophages.
TYPES OF COLLAGEN
 Free and Fixed type,
Type1-bones, tendons, dermis, etc
 Fixed Cells Type2-cartilage
 Irregular Shape Type3-reticular fibers
 filopodia process Type4-basement membrane
 Dark-indented eccentric nucleus Type5-blood vessels
 Derived from monocyte
 Involved in phagocytosis COLLAGEN SYNTHESIS
 Fused to form giant cell Amino acids -Procollagen - Three chains – Tropocollagen –
 Free Cells- rounded, no filopodia Collagen

Mast cells release molecules that dilate blood vessels

and recruit more immune cells to a site of mast cell
activation. Progenitor mast cells (agranular) develop in bone
marrow, circulate in the bloodstream, and migrate into
connective tissue, where they proliferate and differentiate
into mature mast cells (granular).
 Round or Fusiform Shaped
 Mostly along blood vessels,
 Metachromatic granules in the cytoplasm,
 Granules have Histamine or Heparin,
 Look like basophil, so-called as connective tissue
basophil.
 Connective tissue mast cell
 heparin granule, present in the skin.
 Mucosal mast cell
 small, present in lamina propria of git and
respiratory tract

Transient cells are leukocytes (white blood

cells) that circulate in the bloodstream and migrate into
connective tissue at sites of an immune response. These
include neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, and
monocytes. These cells are discussed in more detail in the
chapter on Peripheral Blood.

Plasma cells are mature B lymphocytes that

produce large quantities of antibodies. They are abundant
wherever antigens may enter the body, such as the
gastrointestinal tract and the respiratory system.
 Oval basophilic cells,
 Eccentric nucleus