What are the 3 things you ask yourself when identifying connective tissue?

Loose? Dense? or Fish Eyes?

IF IT’S NOT LOOSE, DENSE, OR CARTILAGE it's…

Blood or Bone

LLLLots of ground substance, few fibers

Loose CT

Many cell and fiber types. "All-around mix"

Areolar CT

Branching Fibers with many cells. Fibers = branches Cells = leaves

Reticular CT

Big fat droplets w nucleus pushed aside Looks like marshmallows

Adipose CT

What tissue is all about the fibers?

Dense

Fibers run in one direction Looks like long, straight hair Function: resist force in one direction (tendons, ligaments)

Dense Regular

Fibers go in many directions Looks like raw meat Function: resist force in multiple directions (skin, joint capsules)

Dense Irregular

Looks like a dead rubber band Function: stretch + recoil (aorta, some ligaments)

Elastic Fibers

Chondrocytes in lacunae, fisheyes

Cartilage

"Hiding" fibers

Hyaline Cartilage CT

Some fibers visible Fibers look evenly distributed EEEEars

Elastic Cartilage CT

Tons of fibers, more than cells Strongest cartilage "Fib(e)r Overload"

Fibrocartilage Cartilage CT

RBCs: pink discs, no nucleus WBCs: larger, dark nucleus Platelets: tiny dots

Blood

Osteons look like tree rings Central canal in the middle

Osseous