Connective tissue

There is another type of tissue and it is the Connective Tissues. Just like epithelial tissues, Connective tissues are also found all throughout the body. These tissues have a variety of different duties around the body. The main job of these tissues is to provide support and protection, and is the framework for the body. For example when you are first setting up for a house you put up the framework for it made out of wood. The wood framework of the house is a good example because it is sturdy, protects the house and of course provides support. The connective tissues also have other jobs like storing fat producing blood cells and helps repair tissue damage.
One way connective tissues are different is that cells inside the tissues are more spread out than the epithelial cells. Also in connective tissues you will find extracellular matrix between the cells. This matrix is made up of a ground substance and protein fibers. The matrix can either be a solid or a fluid, or in between.
There are different types of cells included in connective tissues and the first one is fixed cells. These cells stay in a specific area of connective tissue for a certain length of time. There are also cells like macrophages that are wandering cells the move throughout the tissue usually due to and injury. Fibroblasts are another type of cells and they help produce fibers by secreting proteins into the matrix.
Macrophages are very common throughout the connective tissues just like the fibroblasts.. The macrophages are usually attached to the fibers but can move about on their own. These macrophages are important to carry on phagocytosis often police the tissues and get rid of unwanted particles. This of course is important in the bodies protection against sickness and infection.

Mast Cells are largely used throughout the connective tissues. They are almost always near blood vessels and because of this they release heparin that helps prevent blood clots. This is very crucial and without it the body would not be able to live.

Now I am going to go into the Connective tissue fibers. The first one I am going to talk about is Collagenous fibers. These are thick threads of collagen which is a protein. They are grouped in long parallel bundles and are very strong. The two big Connective tissues however, is the Ligaments and Tendons. A ligament is a fiber that connects bones to the other bones and tendons are what keep the muscles onto the bones.

Areolar Tissue are mainly fibroblasts which are seperrated by a gel like substance that has many elastic fibers. This tissue keeps the skin on the organs where there are many blood vessles.

Adipose Tissues are easy to remember to because they are pretty much just fat. These are formed when a lot of other cells store droplets of fat in their cytoplasm. As the cells get bigger they no longer look like fibers but instead they become a fat when their nuclei is pushed to the side. These joints are pillows for certain joints and organs so they are protected. Also right beneath the skin the fat cells store energy. The amount of these cells varies by the diet of the person. For example a marathon runner probably would not have as many adipose cells as would an overweight couch potato.