Connective tissue: characteristics, functions and types

Connective tissues are the major supporting tissue of the body. It is composed of variety of cells, fibre (non-living products of cell) and semi-solid matrix between cells.

Characteristics of connective tissue:

Connective tissue ranges from avascular to highly vascular.
Composition: Composed mainly of nonliving extracellular matrix that separates the cells of the tissue.
Location: It is present in between different tissue and organs. It can be found in and around the body organs. skeletal tissue present in the form of bone and cartilage, and fluid connective tissue as blood and lymph are connective tissue.

It binds various tissue together like skin with the muscles and muscles with bones
It form inter cellular substance between cells of different types of tissue, so that help in friction less movement of the body organ
It forms sheaths around the body organs and make a kind of packaging tissue
The areolar tissue protects the body against wound and infection
The adipose tissue stores fats and insulates the body against heat loss
The supportive tissue forms shape and the frame work of the body
The haemopoitic tissue produce blood
The lymphatic tissue helps in body immunity