Categories of Connective Tissue
The connective tissues are divided into 4 main types of tissue: blood, bone, cartilage, and connective tissue proper. The connective tissues proper category includes dense fibrous, reticular, loose, adipose and areolar tissue. Each of these tissues is characterized by the tissue's matrix and resident cells.
Matrix and Tissue Specific Cells
Connective tissue is characterized by its matrix and the types of cells associated with the tissue. The matrix is the extracellular material surrounding the cells. It is composed of ground substance and fibers. The amount of matrix and the consistency of the matrix varies with the connective tissue.The ground substance varies from a liquid consistency like the plasma of blood to a gel-like consistency found in areolar tissue to a solid matrix like that found in osseous tissue or bone. Fibers produced by the tissues' cells are also suspended in the ground substance. These fibers include reticular fibers, collagen fibers, and elastic fibers. These will be discussed later. A tissue is also characterized by the types of cells associated with the tissue. Areolar tissue contains fibroblast cells that produce the fibers found in the matrix and mast cells for immune response. Osseous tissue contains osteocytes which produce the bony matrix. Cartilage contains chondrocytes which produce the cartilage matrix.
