Connective tissues are specialised to connect and anchor various body organs.

Connective tissues are classified into following five types:

(i) Aerolar or loose connective tissue: Its matrix consists of white collagen fibres and yellow elastin fibres. It joins skin to muscles, fills spaces inside organs, and is found around muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. It acts as a supporting tissue between organs lying in the body cavity and also helps in the repair of tissues after injury.

(ii) Dense regular connective tissue: It is a fibrous connective tissue characterised by ordered and densely packed collection of fibres and cells.

(a) Tendons: They join skeletal muscles to bones.

(b) Ligaments: They connect to bones.

(c) Aponeuroses: They cover and form terminations and attachments of various muscles.

(iv) Skeletal connective tissue: It includes cartilage and bone. Cartilage is located in ear pinna, nose tip, epiglottis, intervertebral discs, end of long bones, lower ends of ribs, and rings of trachea. It provides support and flexibility to the body parts. Bone forms the endoskeleton in vertebrates except shark. Its main function is to provide shape and skeletal support to the body.

(v) Fluid connective tissue:

It includes blood and lymph.

Blood transports nutrients, hormones, and vitamins to the tissues and transports excretory products from the tissues to liver and kidney.

Lymph is a colourless fluid that transports nutrients (oxygen and glucose) that may have been filtered out of the blood capillaries back into the bloodstream to be recirculated in the body.