TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - CONNECTIVE TISSUE PROPER A1 - Ash, Rick A1 - Morton, David A. A1 - Scott, Sheryl A. PY - 2017 T2 - The Big Picture: Histology AB - Connective tissues are aptly named—they connect epithelia to underlying body structures, link muscles to bones, and hold joints together. However, connective tissues provide the body with more than structural connections and form—they play vital roles in defense, repair, storage, and nutrition. The extent and composition of extracellular matrix (ECM) is a key feature of connective tissues. Unlike epithelia, muscle, and nerve tissue, which consist mostly of cells, connective tissues contain significant amounts of extracellular material, which may be synthesized by only a small number of resident cells. This chapter focuses on what are termed connective tissues proper; that is, loose and dense connective tissues and adipose tissue. A few other rare types of connective tissue are mentioned briefly in this chapter; however, several specialized connective tissues (i.e., cartilage, bone, blood, and hematopoietic tissues) require detailed discussion and will be considered in Chapters 3, 4, and 8. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Medical CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accessphysiotherapy.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1141044747 ER -