Organ: Connective tissue

Descriptions of Connective tissue

Connective tissue: Supporting tissue that surrounds other tissues and organs. Specialized connective tissue includes bone, cartilage, blood, and fat.
Source: National Institute of Health

Connective tissue: tissue of mesodermal origin consisting of e.g. collagen fibroblasts and fatty cells; supports organs and fills spaces between them and forms tendons and ligaments
Source: WordNet 2.1

Connective tissue : tissue that supports and binds other tissues; consists of connective tissue cells embedded in a large amount of extracellular matrix.
Source: CRISP

Article Excerpts about Connective tissue

Elastic tissues such as the skin require a strong and resilient structural framework. This framework is called the extracellular matrix, or connective tissue. The orientation of the connective tissues --- adipose (fat cells), cartilage, bone, tendons, and ligaments --- found beneath the skin are also key for tissue appearance and function. All connective tissue is composed of three major classes of biomolecules: structural proteins (collagen and elastin), specialized proteins (fibrillin, fibronectin, and laminin), and proteoglycans.

Connective tissue is the material between the cells of the body that gives tissues form and strength. This "cellular glue" is also involved in delivering nutrients to the tissue, and in the special functioning of certain tissues. Connective tissue is made up of dozens of proteins, including collagens, proteoglycans, and glycoproteins. The combination of these proteins can vary between tissues. The genes that encode these proteins can harbor defects or mutations, which can affect the functioning of certain properties of connective tissue in selected tissues. (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers about Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue: NIAMS)

Tissues such as skin, tendons, and cartilage that support and hold body parts together. The chief component of connective tissue is collagen. (Source: excerpt from Handout on Health Scleroderma: NIAMS)

Summary Information: Connective tissue

Condition count: 9 ; see list below.

Main condition: Connective tissue disorders

Organs: list of all organs

Diseases List for Connective tissue:

The following list of medical conditions have 'Connective tissue' or similar listed as an affected body part in our database:

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