CHAPTER IV 



CONNECTIVE TISSUES: AREOLAR, FIBROUS, ELASTIC, ADIPOSE, 

 RECTICULAR, LYMPHOID, CARTILAGE, BONE 



Following the classification of tissues we have adopted, the 

 next group to be studied is that known as the connective tissue 

 group. 



Our description of epitheHal tissue was briefly this : a skin or 

 membrane formed of cells, which cells may be of a variety of 

 shapes, and be arranged in one or more layers. It is distinctly 

 a tissue of cells with very little of what we call intermediate or 

 intercellular substance lying between the cells. Connective 

 tissue differs from epithelial tissue in having a great deal of inter- 

 cellular substance lying between the cells. It may be interesting 

 to note that in this form of tissue, the intercellular substance is 

 supposed to develop from the cells. 



CONNECTIVE TISSUE GROUP 



These tissues differ considerably in their external characteristics, 

 but are alike (1) in that they all serve to connect and support the 

 other tissues of the body; (2) they are all developed from the 

 mesoderm ; (3) the cellular element is at a minimum, and the 

 intercellular material is at a maximum ; (4) they originate no 

 action, but are acted upon by the other tissues. We may there- 

 fore group them together as follows : — 



1 . Areolar tissue. 5. Reticular tissue. 



2. Fibrous tissue. 6. Lymphoid tissue. 

 8. Elastic tissue. 7. Cartilage. 



4. Adipose tissue. 8. Bone or osseous tissue. 



Areolar tissue. — This tissue appears to l)e composed of a 

 multitude of fine threads or films, called fibres. Viewed with 

 a microscope, these fibres are seen to be principally made up of 

 wavy bundles of exquisitely fine, transparent, white fibres, and 

 these bundles intersect in all directions. Mixed with the white 



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