In medicine, the term soft tissue refers to tissues that connect, support, or surround other structures and organs of the body.

Soft tissue includes tendons, ligaments, fascia, fibrous tissues, fat, and synovial membranes (which are connective tissue), and muscles, nerves and blood vessels (which are not connective tissue).^[1]

It is sometimes defined by what it is not. For example, soft tissue has been defined as "nonepithelial, extraskeletal mesenchyme exclusive of the reticuloendothelial system and glia".^[2]

[edit] See also

• Soft tissue disorder
• Soft tissue sarcoma

[edit] References

1. ^ Definition at National Cancer Institute
2. ^ Skinner, Harry B. (2006). Current diagnosis & treatment in orthopedics. Stamford, Conn: Lange Medical Books/McGraw Hill. pp. 346. ISBN 0-07-143833-5. 

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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