Dense connective tissue, also called dense fibrous tissue, has fibers as its main matrix element. ^[1]

It is mainly composed of collagen type I. Crowded between the collagen fibers are rows of fibroblasts, fiber-forming cells, that manufacture the fibers. Dense connective tissue forms strong, rope-like structures such as tendons and ligaments. Tendons attach skeletal muscles to bones; 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.

[edit] Types

It is often divided into "Dense regular connective tissue" and "Dense irregular connective tissue":^[2]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Organology at UC Davis TermsCells&Tissues/connective/dense/dense1 - "Connective tissue, dense (LM, Low)"
• Histology at cytochemistry.net
• Overview at downstate.edu

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v • d • e Histology: connective tissue Classification Proper/ Fibrous Loose Areolar · Reticular non-fibrous: Adipose (Brown, White) Dense Dense irregular connective tissue (Submucosa, Dermis) · Dense regular connective tissue (Ligament, Tendon, Aponeurosis) Embryonic Mucous · Mesenchymal Specialized Cartilage · Bone · Blood Composition Extracellular matrix (noncellular) Ground substance Tissue fluid Fibers Reticular fibers: Collagen Elastic fibers: Fibrillin (FBN1, FBN2, FBN3) Cells Resident Fibroblast · Reticular cell · Tendon cell Adipocyte Chondroblast · Osteoblast Wandering cell Mast cell · Macrophage see also soft tissue integument, SF, LCT navs: anat/physio, noncongen/congen/neoplasia, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc muscle, DF+DRCT navs: anat/hist/physio, acquired myopathy/congenital myopathy/neoplasia, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc