BIOSCI LAB

Connective Tissues
- Supportive tissues
Functions:
1. Connect tissues to one another
2. Storage
3. Transport substances
4. Cushion and insulation
5. Protection
Parts of Connective Tissue:
1. Cells - scattered, fewer in number
2. matrix - More matrix than cells
- Varies in consistency
a. liquid (watery)
b. mucoid/ syrupy
c. rubbery/gelatinous
d. tough/mineralized
3. Intercellular fibers -elastic ,reticular, collagen
ground substance matrix without the fibers
4 Main Types of Connective Tissue:
1. Connective Tissue Proper
2. Cartilages
3. Osseous Tissue
4. Blood/Vascular Tissue
Connective Tissue Proper
1. Connective Tissue Proper
- classified into:
1. Loose Connective Tissue
2. Dense Connective Tissue
Dense Regular
Dense Irregular
3. Loose Connective Tissue with Special Properties
A. Adipose CT
B. Reticular CT
C. Mucous CT
D. Elastic CT
Characteristics of Connective Tissue Proper - found in the
ground substance are the ff. cells
1. fibroblast - most common cell
- produce fibers
2. macrophages - engulf bacteria or cellular debris
3. mast cells- abundant alongside the blood vessels
produce histamine
- causes dilation of capillaries, constriction of
bronchial ,smooth muscle, and decreased blood
pressure.
4. adipocytes (fat cells)
5. plasma cells - produce antibodies
6. white blood cells - not found in significant number
- migrate from blood into ct
Fibers - distinctive protein threads found in the ground
substance
- three common fibers:
1. collagen
2. elastic
3. reticular
3 Types of fibers in CT Proper
1. collagen fiber - made of collagen
- non-elastic - resistant to stretching and mechanical
pressure
- do not tear easily when pulled lengthwise

- provides strength
- white in fresh specimen white fibers
- forms bundles
- resistant to stretching and mechanical pressure
2. yellow/elastic fiber- exists singly
- made of elastin
- easily stretches
- do not tear easily when pulled lengthwise
- provides strength
3. reticular fiber - made of collagen
- thin branched network of fibers
- Provides support
- silver impregnation technique
- highly branched than collagenous
- forms network
Connective Tissue Proper
1. Loose Connective Tissue -ex. Areolar or Fibro-elastic
Connective Tissue
Description: -Gel like matrix with both elastic and non-elastic
fibers running though the matrix in many directions
Location: Dermis of the skin, wraps and cushions visceral
organs
Function: Strength, elasticity and support
2. Dense Connective Tissue- fibers are compactly arranged
- classified based on arrangement of fibers
a. Dense Regular Connective Tissue
Description: Consist mainly of collagen fibers arranged in
parallel patterns
Location: tendons, ligament
Function: provides attachment to other tissues
b. Dense Irregular Connective Tissue
Description: consists of collagen fibers randomly arranged and
few fibroblast
Location: perichondrium of cartilage, various organs (liver and
kidney), pericardium of the heart
Function: provides strength
-thick fibers running in many planes/ directions- E.g. dermis,
fibrous capsules around organs
3.Loose Connective Tissue with Special Properties
a. Adipose Tissue
Description: consists of adipocytes (cells that store fats)
-nucleus and cytoplasm peripherally located (signet
ring appearance)
Location: subcutaneous layer of the skin, kidneys, padding
around joints
Function: reduces heat loss through skin
-energy reserve
- Padding/cushion organs
b. Reticular Tissue
Description: consist of network of reticular fibers and reticular
cells
Location: stroma (supporting framework) of liver, spleen, lymph
nodes and bone marrow
Function: support of organs
-binds smooth muscles together

-filters and removes worn-out blood cells in the spleen

and microbes in lymph nodes
c. Mucous Connective Tissue
Description: consists of widely scattered fibroblasts embedded
in jellylike ground substance
-contains fine collagen fibers
Location: umbilical cord of fetus
Function: support
d. Elastic Connective Tissue
Description: consists of branching elastic fibers
fibroblasts present in spaces between fibers
Location: lungs, trachea, vocal cords, bronchial tubes
Function:allows stretching of various organs
Cartilages
a.Hyaline Cartilage
Description: bluish white, shiny ground substance
-fine collagen fibers (not demonstrated)
-many chondrocytes
-most abundant type of cartilage
Location: trachea, larynx, bronchi, anterior ends of ribs, ends of
bones
Function:provides smooth surface for movement of joints,
-flexibility and support
- Cartilage cells are named based on their function:
_____blasts cells responsible for forming the matrix
_____cytes cells responsible for maintaining the matrix
- mature cartilage cells
______clasts cells responsible for remodeling or resorption
of matrix
b. Fibrocartilage
Description: consists of chondrocytes scattered along small
amount of matrix
-bundles of collagen fibers within the matrix
-no perichondrium
Location: pubic symphysis, intervertebral disc
Function:support and fusion
c. Elastic cartilage
Description:consists of chondrocytes located in a threadlike
network of elastic fibers within the matrix
Location:auricle of the external ear, epiglottis, auditory
(Eustachian) tubes
Function:gives support and maintains shape
Bone (Osseous Tissue)
Rigid tissue- most of skeleton
Contents: cells, fibers, ground substance
Distinguishing feature: inorganic salts in ground substance
Functions:
1. Supports soft tissues and provides attachment
2. Protects internal organs
3. Stores minerals
4. Hematopoiesis
Chemical Composition of Bone:
Mixture:

-Organic (living) components = tenacity,

elasticity, resilience
-Inorganic (non- living) components = hardness
and rigidity
General Features:
Macroscopic Appearance:
Compact bone tissue
Spongy bone tissue
Color (living): pinkish
blue
Covering: Periosteum (covers the bone except at
articular surface)
Interior: Marrow Tissue
Interior lining: Endosteum (delicate layer, lines marrow spaces
and irregular surfaces of spongy bone)
2 Types of Bone Tissue:
1. Compact bone (external) - solid
2. Spongy (cancellous)bone internal
- (lattice work)
Difference: degree of porosity
Osteon or Haversian System
- basic unit of compact bone
4 parts of osteon:
1. Lamellae - concentric rings of matrix that consists of mineral
salts (give hardness to the bones
- fibers
2. Lacunae- small spaces between lamellae that contain the
mature bone cells
3. Canaliculi - network of minute canals containing the
processes of osteocytes
4. central (Haversian) canal - contains blood vessels and
nerves
Spongy (cancellous)bone - lacks osteon
- trabeculae (columns of bones)
Types of bone cells:
1. Osteoblasts - bone building cells
- synthesize and secrete collagen needed to build the
matrix
2. Osteocytes- mature bone cells
- matrix
3. Osteoclasts - endosteum
- bone resorption/ bone restoration
Structural Elements of Bone Tissue:
1. Cells: Osteocytes = specialized connective tissue cells
- bone development (formative cells osteoblasts)
- matrix (become osteocytes)
- irregular in shape, oval
- occupy spaces (lacunae) in matrix
- minute cell processes found in canaliculi
2. Bone Matrix- fibers (collagenous fibers)
- united with cementing substance
- mineral salts, calcium phosphate, calcium
carbonate, chondroitin sulfate, keratin sulfate

Blood/Vascular Tissue
Vascular Tissue - composed of:
a. matrix - plasma (fluid)
- contains cells, hormones
- yellowish in color
b. cells - wbc, rbc and platelets
- short lived
c. intercellular fibers - found in the plasma
- fibrinogen (liquid form)
- fibrin
Functions:
1. Transport and distribution of nutrients
2. Transport and distribution of oxygen
3. Production of antibodies
4. Defense mechanism
5. Blood clotting
Types of cells
1. Red blood cell - erythrocytes
- hemoglobin
- in mammals during maturation rbc lose their nuclei
lower vertebrates nucleus is retained
- most numerous
2. White blood cell- leukocytes
- nucleated
- body defense
- distinguished based on the staining reactions and
cytoplasmic granules
Types of wbc according to the number of nucleus and
cytoplasmic granules:
1. Granulocytes - phagocytosis
- identified base on

a. shape of the nucleus

b. cytoplasmic granules
a. neutrophil
- most numerous
- 3 to 5 lobes
- increase in number during bacterial infection
- pink, lilac granules
- polymorphonuclear wbc (multinucleated)
b. Eosinophil - 2 lobes
- orange- red granules
- increase in number during allergies, asthma and
parasitic infection
c. Basophil - S shaped nucleus
- dark purple to black granules
2. Agranulocytes
a. Lymphocytes- produce antibodies
- large nucleus that almost occupy the entire cell
- increase in number during viral infection
b. monocyte/mononuclear wbc - formed in the liver, spleen
and bone marrow
- phagocytic
- bean shaped nucleus
- migrate in tissue macrophage
3. Platelets- thrombocytes
- small, non-nucleated, colorless, non-motile cells
- blood clotting