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Loose Connective
Tissue
(LCT)
Areolar
Tissue
Pink =
collagen
Purple =
elastin
Masson’s Trichrome Stain – blue = collagen
Orecin Stain for Elastin – purple “ribbon candy”
Sliver Stain for Reticular Fibers
Collagen
synthesis
and
organization
TEM of extracellular collagen fibers (Cl)
TEM of collagen fibers with 64 nm periodicity
Glycosaminoglycan Structure
Proteoglycan
A schematic representation of a
proteoglycan. It consists of a
protein core molecule bound with
many different types of
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs).
For example, a proteoglycan from
cartilage matrix can have 30
keratan sulfate and 100
chondroitin sulfate GAG chains.
Aggregan – the largest extracellular
proteoglycan
complex
Aggregan
– the largest
extracellular
proteoglycan complex
Core hyaluronic acid (GAG in blue) complexed
with numerous
proteoglycans
.
Core hyaluronic
acid (GAG
in blue) complexed
with
numerous proteoglycans .
PAS stain of epithelial basement membranes
(BM)
TEM of a basement membrane (BL)
Diagram of the Basal Lamina
Basal cell
memb w/ Integrins
Laminin
Nidogen
Heparan
Sulfate
PGs
Collagen
Type IV
Cells of the LCT
Fibroblasts
LM of fibroblasts (arrows)
SEM of fibroblasts
Live fibroblasts in culture – viewed with phase microscopy
SEM image of a long fibroblast cell projection in culture
Adipose and Adipocytes
Adipocytes (fat cells)
Adipose Tissue – fat cells + CT septa (arrows)
Adipose Tissue fixed and stained w/ Osmium Tetroxide
Defense cells of the LCT
Neutrophils, Plasma cells, Mast
cells, and Macrophage
LCT – a = pericytes; b = mast cell; c = plasma cells;
d = capillary
LCT – M = mast cell; P = plasma cells; F = fibroblasts;
Eo = eosinophils, N = neutrophils
TEM of a
Plasma Cell
TEM of a Mast
Cell
TEM of a Macrophage