Connective Tissue – Our Daily Bread

An introduction for those interested

Behind the unassuming, perhaps even somewhat dismissive term connective tissue lies so much more than you might at first think:

What is connective tissue and why is it special?

Unlike other tissues in our bodies such as skin, muscle, and nerve tissue, which consist of cell clusters, connective and supporting tissue is made up of dispersed cells, varying amounts of fibers, and intercellular substances (known as the extracellular matrix or ground substance), which can be liquid, semi-liquid, or solid. You can imagine it like a meshwork that is more or less permeable.

Where is connective tissue located?

It is a tissue that lies between other tissues, enveloping and holding together organs and body parts.

Supporting tissue refers to the harder connective tissues like cartilage and bone, where the supportive function predominates and provides the body with stability.

Connective tissue performs vital metabolic, cleansing, storage, informational, and immune functions! Connective tissue originates from embryonic mesenchyme.

What is connective tissue made of?

The two cell families of connective tissue

Fixed connective tissue cells

There are stationary, fixed (specific) connective tissue cells. These produce the building blocks (proteins) and intercellular substance, and they take part in the regeneration, adaptation, and growth of connective tissue!! All components of the matrix—except water—are produced intracellularly by these fixed cells!

The most important products include various collagen, reticulin, and elastin proteins.

Free connective tissue cells

On the other hand, you also find free, mobile (general) cells that have migrated out of the blood vessels and largely belong to the immune system. These free connective tissue cells are not stationary; they can move through the connective tissue in an amoeboid fashion. Almost all of them represent forms of white blood cells (leukocytes).

The ground substance

The ground substance is formed by the fixed connective tissue cells and consists of proteoglycans—that is, macromolecules in which the polysaccharide portion (sugar) is quantitatively larger than the protein portion.

These molecules serve not only as an energy reserve, but they are also capable of and essential for binding cations and water.

In summary, connective tissue consists of fixed and free connective tissue cells, along with fibers (mainly collagen, reticulin, and elastin fibers) in varying proportions and amounts, as well as plenty of water enriched with molecules—all coming together to form a vast meshwork. Our connective tissue.

Connective tissue forms—and is thus—part of the interstitium, the extracellular space. Everything cells release passes into the connective tissue…

What does your connective tissue need?

To keep your connective tissue healthy, two factors are essential:

• The cells need a sufficient treatments of nutrients and oxygen

  For the continuous synthesis of essential components, nutrients must be delivered directly into the tissue via vessels, and the cells must be nourished through the intercellular fluid.

• Physiological loading of the tissue through movement

  Load and relief. For the connective tissue in bones, tendons, and muscles, the rule is: regularly bring it to its maximum length and maximum contraction. Bones, cartilage, discs, and menisci receive their load from body weight and muscle contractions.

  For capsules and ligaments, you need to move your joints through their full range of motion. A lack of movement leads to connective tissue degeneration—for example, if you don't bend your leg for a long time, the joint “rusts”.

  Mechanical deformation of a cell itself creates an additional stimulus for synthesis due to piezoelectric activity (piezoelectricity: the change in electrical polarization and thus the occurrence of electrical voltage in solid bodies when they are elastically deformed, Wikipedia). Learn more about this in our blog post Intervertebral Disc - Structure & Function.

  
  

Philosophy: Life means movement.

Whenever you need us, we are here for you!

Your BodyLab team, your connective tissue specialists

osteopathy and Physiotherapy | Rehabilitation and Training

Zurich Altstetten

Learn more about your bone tissue in another blog post.

You can find more on this on our osteopathy page.