The periodontist will also take a small measuring instrument called a probe and place it between the teeth and gums to determine the depth of those spaces, known as periodontal pockets; this helps the periodontist assess the health of the gums.
The ground substance of connective tissue is different from all of these fluids; it is the liquid medium through which these other fluid exchanges take place.
The three basic components that all forms of connective tissue share are specialized cells, extracellular protein fibers, and a fluid known as ground substance, which, together with the extracellular fibers, constitute the ______ that surrounds the cells.