DEV2011 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Collagen, Bone Sialoprotein, Reticular Connective Tissue
Document Summary
Connective tissue (ct) is a kind of biological tissue that supports, connects, or separates different types of tissues and organs of the body. It is one of the four general classes of biological tissues the others of which are epithelial, muscular, and nervous tissues. All ct has three main components: cells, fibers, and extracellular matrices, all immersed in the body fluids. A fibroblast is a type of cell that synthesizes the extracellular matrix and collagen, the structural framework (stroma) for animal tissues, and plays a critical role in wound healing. Fibroblasts are the most common cells of connective tissue in animals. Fibroblasts and fibrocytes are two states of the same cells, the former being the activated state, the latter the less active state, concerned with maintenance and tissue metabolism. Chondocytes are the only cells found in healthy cartilage. They produce and maintain the cartilaginous matrix, which consists mainly of collagen and proteoglycans.
