• dense connective tissue ( dense fibrous tissue )
  • mainly type -I collagen
  • in between fibers
    • fibroblasts
  • based on orientation
    • dense irregular
      • dermis of skin
      • duramater
      • pericardium , periosteum
      • sclera , tunica albuginea
      • capsule of various organs
    • dense regular
      • tendon
        • tendinocytes
        • entire tendon covered by epitendineum
        • separated by a vascular connective tissue called endotendineum
      • ligaments
        • ligamentum nuchae , ligamentum flava
        • elastic ligaments

Dense connective tissue, also called dense fibrous tissue, is a type of connective tissue with fibers as its main matrix element. The fibers are mainly composed of type I collagen. Crowded between the collagen fibers are rows of fibroblasts, fiber-forming cells, that generate the fibers. Dense connective tissue forms strong, rope-like structures such as tendons and ligaments. Tendons attach skeletal muscles to bones; ligaments connect bones to bones at joints. Ligaments are more stretchy and contain more elastic fibers than tendons. Dense connective tissue also make up the lower layers of the skin (dermis), where it is arranged in sheets.

Dense regular connective tissue provides connection between different tissues in the human body. The collagen fibers in dense regular connective tissue are bundled in a parallel fashion. Dense regular connective tissue (DRCT) is divided into white fibrous connective tissue and yellow fibrous connective tissue, both of which occur in two forms: cord arrangement and sheath arrangement.

In cord arrangement bundles of collagen and matrix are distributed in regular alternate patterns. In sheath arrangement collagen bundles and matrix are distributed in irregular patterns, sometimes in the form of a network. It is similar to areolar tissue, but in DRCT elastic fibers are completely absent.

Structures formed

An example of their use is in tendons, which connect muscle to bone and derive their strength from the regular, longitudinal arrangement of bundles of collagen fibers. Ligaments bind bone to bone and are similar in structure to tendons. Aponeuroses are layers of flat broad tendons that join muscles and the body parts the muscles act upon, whether it be bone or muscle. Functions Dense regular connective tissue has great tensile strength that resists pulling forces especially well in one direction.

DRCT has a very poor blood supply, which is why damaged tendons and ligaments are slow to heal.

Dense irregular connective tissue has fibers that are not arranged in parallel bundles as in dense regular connective tissue.

Dense irregular connective tissue consists of mostly collagen fibers. It has less ground substance than loose connective tissue. Fibroblasts are the predominant cell type, scattered sparsely across the tissue.

Function This type of connective tissue is found mostly in the reticular layer (or deep layer) of the dermis. It is also in the sclera and in the deeper skin layers. Due to high portions of collagenous fibers, dense irregular connective tissue provides strength, making the skin resistant to tearing by stretching forces from different directions.

Dense irregular connective tissue also makes up submucosa of the digestive tract, fibrous capsules of joints and lymph nodes, and some types of fascia.[5] Other examples include periosteum and perichondrium of bones, and the tunica albuginea of testis. In the submucosa layer, the fiber bundles course in varying planes allowing the organ to resist excessive stretching and distension.