Connective Tissue – Our Daily Bread

An Introduction for the Curious

Behind the unassuming, almost slightly dismissive word "connective tissue" lies so much more than you might assume at first thought:

What is connective tissue and why is it special?

Unlike other tissues in our body, such as skin, muscle, and nerve tissue, which consist of cellular structures, connective and supportive tissue is made of dispersed cells, a varying amount of fibers, and intercellular substances (the so-called extracellular matrix or ground substance), which can be liquid, semi-liquid, or solid. You can imagine it as a network of mesh that is more or less permeable.

Where is the connective tissue located?

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

Supportive tissue refers to the harder connective tissues like cartilage and bone, where the supportive function predominates and gives the body its stability.

Connective tissue performs vital metabolic, cleansing, storage, information, and defense functions! Connective tissue originates from the embryonic mesenchyme.

What is connective tissue made of?

The Two Cell Families of Connective Tissue

Fixed Connective Tissue Cells

There are the resident, fixed (specific) connective tissue cells. These produce the building blocks (proteins) and the intercellular substance, and they are actively involved in the regeneration, adaptation, and growth of the 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 from the blood vessels and mostly belong to the immune system. These free connective tissue cells are not resident and can move in an amoeboid fashion within the connective tissue. Almost all of them represent types of white blood cells (leukocytes).

The Ground Substance

The ground substance is formed by the fixed connective tissue cells and consists of proteoglycans, which are macromolecules in which the polysaccharide portion (sugars) is quantitatively greater than the protein portion.

These molecules not only serve as energy stores but are also capable and crucial 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, as well as plenty of water enriched with molecules—all of which together form a vast network. Our connective tissue.

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

What does our connective tissue need?

To keep connective tissue healthy, two factors are essential:

• Cells need an adequate supply of nutrients and oxygen

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

• Physiological loading of the tissue through movement

  Load and unload. For 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 get their loading from body weight and muscle contractions.

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

  The mechanical deformation of a cell itself acts as an additional stimulus for synthesis, thanks to piezoelectric activity (Piezoelectricity: change in electrical polarization and thus the occurrence of an electrical voltage on solid bodies when they are elastically deformed, Wikipedia). Read more about this in our blog post Intervertebral Disc - Structure & Function.

  
  

Philosophy: Life is movement.

Whenever you need us, we are here for you!

Your BodyLab Team, your connective tissue specialists

Osteopathy and Physiotherapy | Rehabilitation and Training

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Learn more about our bone tissue in another blog post.