Kim Morris, age 14, of Dubuque, Iowa, for her question:

ARE THERE MANY KINDS OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE?

"Connective tissue" in anatomy is the tissue that supports the entire body and connects the various parts of the body. Connective tissue comes in a very wide variety of types.

Originating primarily in the cells of the mesodermal layer of the embryo, connective tissue forms such varied types of tissues as the lacy areolar tissue, which infiltrates the various organs, giving support to the functional tissue, and dense, hard substance of bone and dentine.

Connective tissues are characterized by an abundant intercellular material, or ground substance, which may be fluid, solid or semi solid.

White fibrous connective tissue forms such structures as the pads between the vertebrae and the elastic elements of the arterial walls and the trachea.