What is Connective Tissue?
Connective tissue is one of the four traditionally classified types of biological tissue. There are many different kinds of connective tissue. In general, they serve functions of structure and support, often connecting two other types of tissue to each other. Connective tissue usually derives from the mesoderm, the middle of three layers in an animal embryo. The characteristics of connective tissue are largely derived from the extracellular matrix, non-living material that surrounds and supports the living cells. The older classification of connective tissue had two subtypes: proper, which covered areolar and fibrous tissue; and specialized, which included bone, blood, cartilage, adipose (fat) tissue, and reticular tissue. The newer classification has four categories: loose connective tissue, dense connective tissue, cartilage, and other. Loose connective tissue includes areolar, adipose, and reticular tissue. Areolar tissue is a mesh-like tissue with a fluid matrix that supports the e
