Page 19 - Chapter 3: Cells and Tissues

5. Connective Tissue

a. Where is it found/What does it do?
a. Most abundant of the tissue types
It is found in:
1) The blood
2) Under the skin
3) In bone
4) Around many organs

b. Function:

b. Connects or binds together
c. Protection
d. Stores fat
e. Transport

c. . What does it look like?
a. Blood supply: good except for ligaments and tendons
An injury in tendons or ligaments heals very slowly due to poor
blood supply .

Cartilage does not have blood supply

d. Intercellular matrix
It is what makes the various types of connective tissue so
different.
The intercellular matrix is material located outside the cell.
It fills the spaces between the cells (intercellular space)
The cell makes the matrix and secretes it into the Intercellular
spaces.

i. Large amount
The amount of matrix varies from one cell type to the next:
Fat tissue, has little intercellular matrix.
Bone and cartilage have few cells and large amounts of
intercellular matrix.

ii. Great variety (examples: liquid in blood/hard in bone)
The Intercellular matrix may be liquid as in blood; gel-like as in
fat tissue; or hard as, as in bone.