Dense connective tissue
Encyclopedia
Dense connective tissue, also called dense fibrous tissue, has fibers as its main matrix element.
Dense connective tissue is mainly composed of collagen type I. Crowded between the collagen fibers are rows of fibroblast
s, fiber-forming cells, that manufacture the fibers. Dense connective tissue forms strong, rope-like structures such as tendon
s and ligament
s. Tendons attach skeletal muscle
s to bone
s; ligaments connect bones to bones at joints. Ligaments are more stretchy and contain more elastic fibers than tendons. Dense connective tissue also make up the lower layers of the skin
(dermis), where it is arranged in sheets.
" and "Dense irregular connective tissue
":
Dense connective tissue is mainly composed of collagen type I. Crowded between the collagen fibers are rows of fibroblast
Fibroblast
A fibroblast is a type of cell that synthesizes the extracellular matrix and collagen, the structural framework for animal tissues, and plays a critical role in wound healing...
s, fiber-forming cells, that manufacture the fibers. Dense connective tissue forms strong, rope-like structures such as tendon
Tendon
A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and is capable of withstanding tension. Tendons are similar to ligaments and fasciae as they are all made of collagen except that ligaments join one bone to another bone, and fasciae connect muscles to other...
s and ligament
Ligament
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal...
s. Tendons attach skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscle is a form of striated muscle tissue existing under control of the somatic nervous system- i.e. it is voluntarily controlled. It is one of three major muscle types, the others being cardiac and smooth muscle...
s to bone
Bone
Bones are rigid organs that constitute part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells and store minerals. Bone tissue is a type of dense connective tissue...
s; ligaments connect bones to bones at joints. Ligaments are more stretchy and contain more elastic fibers than tendons. Dense connective tissue also make up the lower layers of the skin
Skin
-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...
(dermis), where it is arranged in sheets.
Types
It is often divided into "Dense regular connective tissueDense regular connective tissue
Dense regular connective tissue provides connection between different tissues. The collagen fibers in dense regular connective tissue are bundled in a parallel fashion.-Structures formed:* An example of their use is in tendons...
" and "Dense irregular connective tissue
Dense irregular connective tissue
Dense irregular connective tissue has fibers that are not arranged in parallel bundles as in dense regular connective tissue.-Substances formed:...
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