Loose Connective

Tissue
(LCT)
Areolar
Tissue

Pink =
collagen

Purple =
elastin
Masson’s Trichrome Stain – blue = collagen
Orecin Stain for Elastin – purple “ribbon candy”
Sliver Stain for Reticular Fibers
 Collagen
synthesis
and
organization
TEM of extracellular collagen fibers (Cl)
TEM of collagen fibers with 64 nm periodicity
 Types of
glycosamino-
glycans
(GAGs)
PAS stain of epithelial basement membranes
(BM)
TEM of a basement membrane (BL)
Cells of the LCT
Fibroblasts
LM of fibroblasts (arrows)
SEM of fibroblasts
Adipose and Adipocytes
Adipocytes (fat cells)
Adipose Tissue – fat cells + CT septa (arrows)
Adipose Tissue fixed and stained w/ Osmium Tetroxide
Defense cells of the LCT
Neutrophils, Plasma cells, Mast
cells, and Macrophage
LCT – a = pericytes; b = mast cell; c = plasma cells;
d = capillary
LCT – M = mast cell; P = plasma cells; F = fibroblasts;
Eo = eosinophils, N = neutrophils
 TEM of a
Plasma Cell
TEM of a Mast
Cell
TEM of a Macrophage