1. Collagen fiber
Location: skin, tendon, ligaments, bone, and cartilage
Function: support body tissues, major component of the extracellular matrix that support cells, gives skin strength, waterproofing, and elasticity
Elastic fiber
Location: lungs, arteries, veins, connective tissue proper, elastic cartilage, periodontal ligament, fetal tissue, and other tissues which must undergo mechanical stretching
Function: provide elasticity and resilience to the tissues
Reticular fiber
Location: kidney, liver, the spleen, and lymph nodes, Peyer’s patches as well as bone marrow
Function: acts as a supporting mesh in soft tissues
Loose (Areolar) Connective Tissue
Description: Gel-like matrix with all three
fiber types; cell include
fibroblasts, phagocytes,
some WBC, and others
Function: Wraps and cushions organs,
its phagocytes engulf
bacteria, plays important
role in inflammation; hold
and conveys tissue fluid
Location: Widely distributed under
epithelia of the body;
packages organs; surrounds
capillaries
3. DENSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Description: Primarily parallel collagen
fibers; a few elastin fibers;
major cell type is the
fibroblast
Function: Attaches muscles to bones
or to muscles to bones or to
muscles; attaches bones to
bones; withstands great
tensile stress when pulling
force is applied in one
direction
Location: Tendons, most ligaments,
aponeuroses
Dense Irregular Connective Tissue
Location: The dense irregular connective tissues are found in the lower layers of the skin (dermis) and in the protective white layer of the eyeball.
Function: provides strength, making the skin resistant to tearing by stretching forces from different directions.
Adipose tissue
Location: Adipose tissue is commonly known as body fat. It is found all over the body. It can be found under the skin (subcutaneous fat), packed around internal organs (visceral fat), between muscles, within bone marrow and in breast tissue.
Function: Provides reserve food fuel;
insulates against heat loss;
supports and protects
organs
6. Bone
Description Hard, calcified matric
containing many collagen
fibers; osteocytes lie in
lacunae. Very
well-vascularized
Function Bone supports and protects
provides levers for the
muscles to act on; stores
calcium and other mineral
and fat; marrow inside
bones is the site for blood
cell formation
Location Under the skin; around
kidneys and eyeballs; within
the abdomen; in breasts
7. Blood
Description Is the specialized connective
tissue in the circulatory
system that transports blood
cells and dissolved
substances throughout the
blood via the blood vessels
Function Is a body fluid that delivers
necessary substances, such
as nutrients and oxygen, to
the cells and transports
metabolic waste products
away from those same cells.
Location Blood vessels
1. Collagen fiber
Location: skin, tendon, ligaments, bone, and cartilage
Function: support body tissues, major component of the extracellular matrix that support cells, gives skin strength, waterproofing, and elasticity
Elastic fiber
Location: lungs, arteries, veins, connective tissue proper, elastic cartilage, periodontal ligament, fetal tissue, and other tissues which must undergo mechanical stretching
Function: provide elasticity and resilience to the tissues
Reticular fiber
Location: kidney, liver, the spleen, and lymph nodes, Peyer’s patches as well as bone marrow
Function: acts as a supporting mesh in soft tissues
Loose (Areolar) Connective Tissue
Description: Gel-like matrix with all three
fiber types; cell include
fibroblasts, phagocytes,
some WBC, and others
Function: Wraps and cushions organs,
its phagocytes engulf
bacteria, plays important
role in inflammation; hold
and conveys tissue fluid
Location: Widely distributed under
epithelia of the body;
packages organs; surrounds
capillaries
3. DENSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Description: Primarily parallel collagen
fibers; a few elastin fibers;
major cell type is the
fibroblast
Function: Attaches muscles to bones
or to muscles to bones or to
muscles; attaches bones to
bones; withstands great
tensile stress when pulling
force is applied in one
direction
Location: Tendons, most ligaments,
aponeuroses
Dense Irregular Connective Tissue
Location: The dense irregular connective tissues are found in the lower layers of the skin (dermis) and in the protective white layer of the eyeball.
Function: provides strength, making the skin resistant to tearing by stretching forces from different directions.
Adipose tissue
Location: Adipose tissue is commonly known as body fat. It is found all over the body. It can be found under the skin (subcutaneous fat), packed around internal organs (visceral fat), between muscles, within bone marrow and in breast tissue.
Function: Provides reserve food fuel;
insulates against heat loss;
supports and protects
organs
6. Bone
Description Hard, calcified matric
containing many collagen
fibers; osteocytes lie in
lacunae. Very
well-vascularized
Function Bone supports and protects
provides levers for the
muscles to act on; stores
calcium and other mineral
and fat; marrow inside
bones is the site for blood
cell formation
Location Under the skin; around
kidneys and eyeballs; within
the abdomen; in breasts
7. Blood
Description Is the specialized connective
tissue in the circulatory
system that transports blood
cells and dissolved
substances throughout the
blood via the blood vessels
Function Is a body fluid that delivers
necessary substances, such
as nutrients and oxygen, to
the cells and transports
metabolic waste products
away from those same cells.
Location Blood vessels
Mucous Connective Tissue
Location: Umbilical cord
Function: supports and cushions large blood vessels