ct_01. Loose Connective Tissue
(iron hematoxylin)
The specimen is a thin film of dermal connective tissue after fixation and extension followed by staining on the slide.
1. Study the structure of the main elements in the loose connective tissue:
- a fibroblast - is a large process cell, unevenly shaped, having vague borders and a light nucleus;
- a macrophage - is a cell, having definite outline of cytoplasm; it has an uneven shape due to certain types of pseudolikeness; the nucleus is dark and relatively small;
- collagen fibers - are longitudinally striated twisted cords diversely directed and composing bundles, having varied thickness;
- elastic fibers - are less in number and thinner than collagen fibers; they branch and anastomose with each other to form 3D networks;
- ground (amorphous) substance - fills in the gaps between the fibers and encloses the cells.
3. Draw and sign: - 1 - fibroblast,
- 2 - macrophage,
- 3 - collagen fibers,
- 4 - elastic fibers,
- 5 - ground substance.
4. Define and write significant features of the slide.