Learning Objectives
Describe the structural characteristics of the various connective tissues and how these characteristics enable their functions.
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
- Identify and distinguish between the different type of connective tissue: proper, supportive, and fluid – and associate each with their function and location
- Describe the common structural elements of connective tissue
- Describe how the structural properties of connective tissue relate to the unique functions of the tissue
Functions of Connective Tissues
Connective tissues perform many functions in the body, most importantly, they support and connect other tissues: from the connective tissue sheath that surrounds a muscle, to the tendons that attach muscles to bones, and to the skeleton that supports the positions of the body. Protection is another major function of connective tissue, in the form of fibrous capsules and bones that protect delicate organs. Specialized cells in connective tissue defend the body from microorganisms that enter the body. Transport of gases, nutrients, waste, and chemical messengers is ensured by specialized fluid connective tissues, such as blood and lymph. Adipose cells store surplus energy in the form of fat and contribute to the thermal insulation of the body.
Embryonic Connective Tissue
All connective tissues derive from the mesodermal layer of the embryo (see Figure 4.2.2). The first connective tissue to develop in the embryo is mesenchyme, the stem cell line from which all connective tissues are later derived. Clusters of mesenchymal cells are scattered throughout adult tissue and supply the cells needed for replacement and repair after a connective tissue injury. A second type of embryonic connective tissue forms in the umbilical cord, called mucous connective tissue or Wharton’s jelly. This tissue is no longer present after birth, leaving only scattered mesenchymal cells throughout the body.
Structural Elements of Connective Tissue
Connective tissues come in a vast variety of forms, yet they typically have in common three characteristic components: cells, large amounts of amorphous ground substance, and protein fibers. Unlike epithelial tissue, which is composed of cells closely packed together, cells of connective tissue are more widely dispersed within an extracellular matrix (ECM). The matrix plays a major role in the functioning of this tissue. The major component of the matrix is ground substance. This ground substance is usually a fluid, but it can also be mineralized and solid, as in bones. The amount and structure of each component correlates with the function of the tissue, from the rigid ground substance in bones supporting the body to the inclusion of specialized cells; for example, a phagocytic cell that engulfs pathogens and also rids tissue of cellular debris.
Cell Types
Each class of connective tissue is formed by fundamental cell types. The cells can be found in both an active form (suffix –blast