1. CONNECTIVE TISSUE
NOTES & SLIDES

2. CONNECTIVE TISSUE CHARACTERISTICS
MOST COMMON TISSUE IN THE BODY
FUNCTIONS INCLUDE: BINDIING & SUPPORT, PROTECTION, INSULATION, & TRANSPORTATION
CONTAINS BLOOD VESSELS (HAS BLOOD SUPPLY)
CELLS ARE IN AN EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX (NON-LIVING)

3. LOOSE (AREOLAR) CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Areolar connective tissue is also called loose connective tissue. You will find collagen, elastic, and reticular fibers laced throughout the extracellular materials. You can easily distinguish between the different cell types at this magnification. Fibroblasts are small dark elongated cells. The mast cells are the largest of the cells and are filled with histamine granules. Macrophages are the pale, puffy-looking cells. .

4. LOOSE (AREOLAR) CONNECTIVE TISSUE - APPEARANCE
MANY CELLS & FIBERS IN A GEL-LIKE MATRIX

5. LOOSE (AREOLAR) CONNECTIVE TISSUE - LOCATION
IN THE SKIN
WRAPPED AROUND ORGANS, NERVES, & BLOOD VESSELS

6. LOOSE (AREOLAR) CONNECTIVE TISSUE - FUNCTIONS
SUPPORTS (NERVES AND BLOOD VESSELS)
FILLS SPACES (BETWEEN ORGANS & CUSHIONS THEM)
BINDS STRUCTURES TOGETHER

7. ADIPOSE TISSUE - 100X
Adipose is areolar connective tissue that contains mostly fat cells or adipocytes. An arteriole and venule can be seen in the upper right part of the image. The lung is an organ that looks like adipose tissue.

8. ADIPOSE - 400X
Each adipocyte must have a nucleus, but it is not always visible. This nucleus is pressed against the cell membrane because of the large oil droplet.

9. ADIPOSE (FAT) - APPEARANCE
LARGE CELLS CONTAINING A LIPID DROPLET (“NET” OR “BEEHIVE”)

10. ADIPOSE - LOCATION AROUND EYES, PALMS OF HAND, SOLES OF FEET
BETWEEN JOINTS
MAKES UP ~18% OF BODY WEIGHT
IN MALES AND ~28% IN FEMALES

11. ADIPOSE - FUNCTIONS FUEL RESERVE PADDING TO ABSORB SHOCK
INSULATION - HELPS TO MAINTAIN HOMEOSTASIS
*WOMEN LACKING SUFFICIENT ADIPOSE TISSUE MAY CEASE TO MENSTRUATE

12. DENSE, FIBROUS CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Dense regular connective tissue is easily recognizable by the parallel, tightly-packed collagen fibers. The thin dark lines are actually the fibroblasts squeezed between the collagen fibers.

13. DENSE, FIBROUS CONNECTIVE TISSUE - APPEARANCE
CLOSELY PACKED WHITE COLLAGEN FIBERS THAT RUN PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER; STRONG AND FLEXIBLE BUT NOT VERY ELASTIC

14. DENSE , FIBROUS CONNECTIVE TISSUE - LOCATION
FORMS LIGAMENTS (CONNECT BONE TO BONE)
FORMS TENDONS (CONNECT MUSCLE TO BONE)
INNER SKIN LAYER

15. DENSE, FIBROUS CONNNECTIVE TISSUE - FUNCTIONS
HOLD BONES IN PLACE AT JOINTS
ATTACH SKELETAL MUSCLES TO BODY
KEEPS MUSCULAR BUNDLES IN PLACE
STRENGHTENS THE DERMIS OF THE SKIN

16. HYALINE CARTILAGE
This shrunken chondrocyte is only a remnant of its former self when alive.
*CARTILAGE IS THE ONLY CONNECTIVE TISSUE THAT LACKS A BLOOD
SUPPLY*

17. HYALINE CARTILAGE - APPEARANCE
CLEAR MATRIX WITH SCATTERED GROUPS OF CELLS IN LACUNAE(CAPSULES) THAT ARE OFTEN PAIRED

18. HYALINE CARTILAGE - LOCATION
MOST ABUNDANT TYPE OF CARTILAGE IN THE ADULT BODY
CAPS THE ENDS OF BONES
FORMS THE INTERNAL FRAMEWORK OF THE FETUS - LATER REPLACED BY BONE
ALSO FOUND IN LARYNX, NOSE, RIBS, & TRACHEA

19. HYALINE CARTILAGE - FUNCTIONS
SUPPORTS AND REINFORCES BODY PARTS
FORMS THE MODEL FOR FUTURE SKELETON
PROVIDES SLIPPERY SURFACE WHERE BONES MEET

20. ELASTIC CARTILAGE - 100X
The large bubbly-looking chondrocytes make the identification of cartilage easy. The extensive extracellular matrix contains darkly-stained elastic fibers.

21. ELASTIC CARTILAGE - 400x
Each chondrocyte fills the lacuna in which it is imprisoned. As you can see in this image, the cells often shrink away from the wall of the lacuna during slide preparation.

22. ELASTIC CARTILAGE
APPEARANCE: MORE OPAQUE MATRIX WITH SCATTERED GROUPS OF CELLS AND BRANCHING ELASTIC FIBERS
LOCATION: EAR, EPIGLOTTIS
FUNCTION: PROVIDES FLEXIBLE STRENGTH & SUPPORT

23. FIBROCARTILAGE - 100X
The large cells with the red-stained nuclei are the chondrocytes surrounded by large numbers of collagen fibers. The two identifying characteristics of fibrocartilage are the large cells and the densely-packed collagen fibers.

24. FIBROCARTILAGE - 400X
Chondrocytes are always very large cells that appear "bubbly". Their large size allows them to be identified even at relatively low magnifications.

25. FIBROCARTILAGE
APPEARANCE: THICK, COMPACT PARALLEL COLLAGEN BUNDLES BETWEEN ENCAPSULATED CELLS
LOCATION: BETWEEN VERTEBRAE, KNEE JOINTS, AND PUBIC SYMPHYSIS
FUNCTION: ABSORBS SHOCK & PROVIDES HIGH TENSILE STRENGTH

26. BLOOD
400x total magnification reveals the basic cell characteristics, but an oil immersion objective is desirable for accurate identifications. Choose the individual blood cell types in the main listing to see the appropriate images.

27. BLOOD - APPEARANCE PLASMA = CLEAR LIQUID MATRIX
CORPUSCLES = SOLIDS FLOATING IN PLASMA (RED BLOOD CELLS, WHITE BLOOD CELLS, PLATELETS)

28. BLOOD - LOCATION
CONTAINED WITHIN BLOOD VESSELS & HEART ( CIRCULATORY SYSTEM)

29. BLOOD - FUNCTIONS
TRANSPORT

30. BONE - 100X
The large central canal contains blood vessels and nerves. The osteocytes reside in their lacunae. The lamellae, or "growth rings" remind one of the appearance of a log cut in cross section. The hair-like canaliculi are tiny canals that contain the extensions of the osteocyte.

31. BONE - 400x

32. BONE - APPEARANCE
MOSTLY SOLID MATRIX WITH SCATTERED CELLS

33. BONE - LOCATION
SKELETON

34. BONE - FUNCTIONS
SUPPORT & PROTECTION

35. The End