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Fabrics with special properties
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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To connective tissues with special properties are fat, reticular and mucous. They are located only in certain organs and parts of the body and are characterized by special features of the structure and peculiar functions.
Fatty tissue performs trophic, depositing, form-building and thermoregulatory functions. There are two types of adipose tissue: white, formed by single-drop adipocytes, and brown, formed by multichip adipocytes. Groups of fat cells are united in lobules, separated from each other by septa of loose fibrous connective tissue, in which vessels and nerves pass. Between the individual adipocytes are located thin collagen and reticular fibers, next to which are the blood capillaries. In humans, white adipose tissue predominates. It surrounds some organs, retaining their position in the human body (eg, kidneys, lymph nodes, eyeball, etc.), fills the spaces of non-functioning organs (for example, the mammary gland), replaces the red bone marrow in the diaphysis of long tubular bones. Most of the adipose tissue is a reserve (subcutaneous basis, omentum, mesentery, fatty pads of the colon, subserous base). The amount of brown adipose tissue in an adult is small. It is mainly found in a newborn baby. Like white, the brown fatty tissue also forms lobules, formed by many drop adipocytes. Brown color is caused by a variety of blood capillaries, an abundance of mitochondria and lysosomes in multi-drop adipocytes. The main function of brown adipose tissue in newborns is thermal insulation. In animals, brown fatty tissue maintains body temperature during hibernation.
Reticular connective tissue forms the stroma of the spleen, lymph nodes, red bone marrow. It is formed by the reticular cells, which are connected by their processes, and the reticular fibers. When impregnated (silver color), under a microscope, a network is seen consisting of thin black fibers that form a reticular frame. In the loops of this network are located cells, mainly lymphocytes, reticular cells, macrophages, plasmocytes.
Mucous connective tissue is present only in the embryo, therefore it is referred to embryonic tissues. Morphologically it resembles a mesenchyme, differs from it by a high degree of differentiation. Mucous connective tissue is a part of the umbilical cord and chorion, surrounds the blood vessels of the fetus. Mucous tissue of the umbilical cord (vartons jelly) is formed by mucous cells (sometimes called mucocytes), which have a process form and resemble mesenchymal cells, and an intercellular substance colored toluidine blue in pink due to the presence of a large amount of hyaluronic acid. In the loops formed by cells of the mucous tissue, thin collagen fibers pass. Multi-stage cells form a three-dimensional network. Intertwining bundles of collagen microfibrils provide the strength of the umbilical cord, and the ability of glycosaminoglycans to bind water creates a turgor, which prevents the compression of the vessels when the umbilical cord is twisted. As the age of the fetus increases, the amount of collagen fibers in the mucous tissue increases.
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