Chapter J_3 



Connective 

 Tissue 



Connective tissue, so named because its chief function is to connect 

 the other tissues of the body, also provides stipport for these tissues. 

 Connective tissue is far too complex to discuss at any length in this type 

 of book, but a few terms will be co\ered briefly. 



Stroma is a term referring to the stipporting tissues in an organ; the 

 parenchyma is composed of the cells that perform the function of the 



organ. 



CoUagenic fibers (collagen) have tensile strength (tendons); they may 

 be single or aggregate in bimdles, and they do not branch. 



Reticular fibers are delicate and often connected to and supported by 

 collagenic fibers. (For silver methods, see page 179.) Reticular fibers, 

 often forming dense networks, support cells, capillaries, nerve fibers 

 and other tissue tinits, and form parts of basement membranes (inter- 

 cellular substance lying between epithelial membranes and their stip- 

 porting connective tissue). 



Elastic fibers are long and narrow and are not composed of fibrils, 

 but are homogeneous. They have the ability to stretch and are located 

 in such places as the walls of blood vessels or in the respiratory system. 



Areolar tissue lies between muscles and fasciae and contains both 

 collagenic and elastic fibers embedded in a ground substance. 



The ground substance is an amorphous kind of material that lies 

 around fibrous intercellular substances; thus the fibers are seldom 



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