Fibrous connective tissue
You don't need to be Editor-In-Chief to add or edit content to WikiDoc. You can begin to add to or edit text on this WikiDoc page by clicking on the edit button at the top of this page. Next enter or edit the information that you would like to appear here. Once you are done editing, scroll down and click the Save page button at the bottom of the page.
In zootomy, fibrous connective tissue (FCT) is a type of connective tissue which has relatively high tensile strength, due to a relatively high concentration of collagenous fibers. Such tissues form ligaments and tendons; the majority of the tissue does not contain living cells, the tissue is primarily composed of polysaccharides, proteins, and water.
The cells of fibrous connective tissue are mostly fibroblasts, irregular, branching cells that secrete strong fibrous proteins as an extracellular matrix. The most commonly secreted protein is collagen which represents one-fourth of all vertebrate protein. Collagen is tough and flexible and gives strength to tissue. Elastin fibres are thinner than collagen fibres and are also secreted by fibroblasts. These protein fibres have longer cross-links than collagen fibres, which gives elastin fibres great elasticity.
Types
There are several categories of fibrous connective tissue:
- Loose connective tissue supports most epithelia and many organs. It also surrounds blood vessels and nerves. It is also found between muscles
- Dense connective tissue has collagen fibres as its main matrix element.
- Elastic connective tissue is primarily composed of elastin fibres, giving them great elasticity. It appears in the walls of the aorta.
- Reticular connective tissue is composed of interlacing fibers of collagen called reticular fibers. This tissue forms supporting structures for many organs, such as the spleen and thymus.
 Bladder |
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
