Reticular connective tissue Reticular connective tissue Reticular connective tissue is a type of connective tissue with a network of reticular fibers, made of type III collagen ("reticulum" = net or network). Reticular fibers are not unique to reticular connective tissue, but only in this type are they dominant. Reticular fibers are synthesized by special fibroblasts called reticular cells. The fibers are thin branching structures. Reticular connective tissue is found around the kidney, the spleen, and lymph nodes, Peyer's patches as well as in bone marrow. The fibers form a soft skeleton (stroma) to support the lymphoid organs (lymph node stromal cells, red bone
Loose connective tissue Loose connective tissue Loose connective tissue is a category of connective tissue which includes areolar tissue, reticular tissue, and adipose tissue. Loose connective tissue is the most common type of connective tissue in vertebrates. It holds organs in place and attaches epithelial tissue to other underlying tissues. For example, it forms telae, such as the tela submucosa and tela subserosa, which connect mucous and serous membranes to the muscular layer. It also surrounds the blood vessels and nerves. Cells called fibroblasts are widely dispersed in this tissue; they are irregular branching cells that secrete strong fibrous proteins and proteoglycans as