What kind of tissue composes the intervertebral

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Fibrocartilage is a mixture of dense regular connective tissue and hyaline cartilage. View the University of Michigan Webscope to explore the tissue sample in greater detail. Visit this link to test your connective tissue knowledge with this question quiz. Can you name the 10 tissue types shown in the histology slides? Connective tissue is a heterogeneous tissue with many cell shapes and tissue architecture.

Structurally, all connective tissues contain cells that are embedded in an extracellular matrix stabilized by proteins. The chemical nature and physical layout of the extracellular matrix and proteins vary enormously among tissues, reflecting the variety of functions that connective tissue fulfills in the body. Connective tissues separate and cushion organs, protecting them from shifting or traumatic injury.

Connect tissues provide support and assist movement, store and transport energy molecules, protect against infections, and contribute to temperature homeostasis. Many different cells contribute to the formation of connective tissues. They originate in the mesodermal germ layer and differentiate from mesenchyme and hematopoietic tissue in the bone marrow.

Fibroblasts are the most abundant and secrete many protein fibers, adipocytes specialize in fat storage, hematopoietic cells from the bone marrow give rise to all the blood cells, chondrocytes form cartilage, and osteocytes form bone.

The extracellular matrix contains fluid, proteins, polysaccharide derivatives, and, in the case of bone, mineral crystals. Protein fibers fall into three major groups: collagen fibers that are thick, strong, flexible, and resist stretch; reticular fibers that are thin and form a supportive mesh; and elastin fibers that are thin and elastic.

The major types of connective tissue are connective tissue proper, supportive tissue, and fluid tissue. Loose connective tissue proper includes adipose tissue, areolar tissue, and reticular tissue. These serve to hold organs and other tissues in place and, in the case of adipose tissue, isolate and store energy reserves. The matrix is the most abundant feature for loose tissue although adipose tissue does not have much extracellular matrix.

Dense connective tissue proper is richer in fibers and may be regular, with fibers oriented in parallel as in ligaments and tendons, or irregular, with fibers oriented in several directions. Organ capsules collagenous type and walls of arteries elastic type contain dense irregular connective tissue. Cartilage and bone are supportive tissue. Cartilage contains chondrocytes and is somewhat flexible.

Hyaline cartilage is smooth and clear, covers joints, and is found in the growing portion of bones. Fibrocartilage is tough because of extra collagen fibers and forms, among other things, the intervertebral discs. Elastic cartilage can stretch and recoil to its original shape because of its high content of elastic fibers.

The matrix contains very few blood vessels. Bones are made of a rigid, mineralized matrix containing calcium salts, crystals, and osteocytes lodged in lacunae. Bone tissue is highly vascularized. Cancellous bone is spongy and less solid than compact bone.

Fluid tissue, for example blood and lymph, is characterized by a liquid matrix and no supporting fibers. Under the microscope, a tissue specimen shows cells located in spaces scattered in a transparent background. Ligaments connect bones together and withstand a lot of stress. What type of connective tissue should you expect ligaments to contain? One of the main functions of connective tissue is to integrate organs and organ systems in the body. Discuss how blood fulfills this role.

Blood is a fluid connective tissue, a variety of specialized cells that circulate in a watery fluid containing salts, nutrients, and dissolved proteins in a liquid extracellular matrix.

Blood contains formed elements derived from bone marrow. Erythrocytes, or red blood cells, transport the gases oxygen and carbon dioxide. Leukocytes, or white blood cells, are responsible for the defense of the organism against potentially harmful microorganisms or molecules. Some cells have the ability to cross the endothelial layer that lines vessels and enter adjacent tissues. Nutrients, salts, and waste are dissolved in the liquid matrix and transported through the body. Why does an injury to cartilage, especially hyaline cartilage, heal much more slowly than a bone fracture?

A layer of dense irregular connective tissue covers cartilage. No blood vessels supply cartilage tissue. Injuries to cartilage heal very slowly because cells and nutrients needed for repair diffuse slowly to the injury site. Skip to content The Tissue Level of Organization. Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to: Identify and distinguish between the types of connective tissue: proper, supportive, and fluid Explain the functions of connective tissues.

Functions of Connective Tissues Connective tissues perform many functions in the body, but most importantly, they support and connect other tissues; from the connective tissue sheath that surrounds muscle cells, to the tendons that attach muscles to bones, and to the skeleton that supports the positions of the body.

Embryonic Connective Tissue All connective tissues derive from the mesodermal layer of the embryo see Figure. Classification of Connective Tissues The three broad categories of connective tissue are classified according to the characteristics of their ground substance and the types of fibers found within the matrix Figure.

Connective Tissue Proper Fibroblasts are present in all connective tissue proper Figure. Connective Tissue Proper. Fibroblasts produce this fibrous tissue. Connective tissue proper includes the fixed cells fibrocytes, adipocytes, and mesenchymal cells. Connective Tissue Fibers and Ground Substance Three main types of fibers are secreted by fibroblasts: collagen fibers, elastic fibers, and reticular fibers.

Loose Connective Tissue Loose connective tissue is found between many organs where it acts both to absorb shock and bind tissues together. Adipose Tissue. This is a loose connective tissue that consists of fat cells with little extracellular matrix. It stores fat for energy and provides insulation. This is a loose connective tissue made up of a network of reticular fibers that provides a supportive framework for soft organs. Dense Connective Tissue.

Disorders of the…. Supportive Connective Tissues Two major forms of supportive connective tissue, cartilage and bone, allow the body to maintain its posture and protect internal organs.

Cartilage The distinctive appearance of cartilage is due to polysaccharides called chondroitin sulfates, which bind with ground substance proteins to form proteoglycans. Types of Cartilage. Cartilage is a connective tissue consisting of collagenous fibers embedded in a firm matrix of chondroitin sulfates. The example is from dog tissue. Fluid Connective Tissue Blood and lymph are fluid connective tissues.

Blood: A Fluid Connective Tissue. Blood is a fluid connective tissue containing erythrocytes and various types of leukocytes that circulate in a liquid extracellular matrix. Chapter Review Connective tissue is a heterogeneous tissue with many cell shapes and tissue architecture.

Interactive Link Questions Visit this link to test your connective tissue knowledge with this question quiz. Click at the bottom of the quiz for the answers. Review Questions Connective tissue is made of which three essential components?

Which connective tissue specializes in storage of fat? Critical Thinking Questions One of the main functions of connective tissue is to integrate organs and organ systems in the body. Glossary adipocytes lipid storage cells adipose tissue specialized areolar tissue rich in stored fat areolar tissue also, loose connective tissue a type of connective tissue proper that shows little specialization with cells dispersed in the matrix chondrocytes cells of the cartilage collagen fiber flexible fibrous proteins that give connective tissue tensile strength connective tissue proper connective tissue containing a viscous matrix, fibers, and cells.

Previous: Epithelial Tissue. Next: Muscle Tissue and Motion. Share This Book Share on Twitter. Loose connective tissue Areolar Adipose Reticular. Cartilage Hyaline Fibrocartilage Elastic. Fibrocartilage is found in the pubic symphysis, the annulus fibrosus of intervertebral discs, menisci, and the temporal mandibular joint. Elastic or yellow cartilage contains elastic fiber networks and collagen fibers. The principal protein is elastin. Elastic cartilage is histologically similar to hyaline cartilage but contains many yellow elastic fibers lying in a solid matrix.

These fibers form bundles that appear dark under a microscope. They give elastic cartilage great flexibility so it can withstand repeated bending. Chondrocytes lie between the fibers.

Elastic cartilage is found in the epiglottis part of the larynx and the pinnae the external ear flaps of many mammals, including humans. Chondrification also known as chondrogenesis is the process by which cartilage is formed from condensed mesenchyme tissue. A chondrocyte: A chondrocyte, stained for calcium, showing its nucleus N and mitochondria M. Mesenchyme tissue differentiates into chondroblasts and begins secreting the molecules that form the extracellular matrix ECM.

Mesenchymal stem cells MSCs are undifferentiated, meaning they can give rise to different cell types. Under the appropriate conditions and at sites of cartilage formation, they are referred to as chondrogenic cells. During cartilage formation, undifferentiated MSCs are highly proliferative and form dense aggregates of chondrogenic cells at the center of chondrification.

These condrogenic cells then differentiate to chondroblasts, which will then synthesize the cartilage ECM. Cartilage: Hyaline cartilage showing chondrocytes and organelles, lacunae and matrix. The extracellular matrix consists of ground substance proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans and associated fibers, such as collagen.

The chondroblasts then trap themselves in lacunae, small spaces that are no longer in contact with the newly created matrix and contain extracellular fluid. The chondroblast is now a chondrocyte, which is usually inactive but can still secrete and degrade the matrix depending on the conditions. The majority of body cartilage is synthesized from chondroblasts that are largely inactive at later developmental stages compared to earlier years pre-pubescence.

The division of cells within cartilage occurs very slowly. Therefore, growth in cartilage is usually not based on an increase in size or mass of the cartilage itself. Remodeling of cartilage is predominantly affected by changes and rearrangements of the collagen matrix, which responds to tensile and compressive forces experienced by the cartilage. Cartilage growth thus mainly refers to matrix deposition, but can include both growth and remodeling of the ECM.

Early in fetal development, the greater part of the skeleton is cartilaginous. This temporary cartilage is gradually replaced by bone endochondral ossification , a process that ends at puberty. In contrast, the cartilage in the joints remains permanently unossified during life.

Once damaged, cartilage has limited repair capabilities because chondrocytes are bound in lacunae and cannot migrate to damaged areas.