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ground substance

 
Dictionary: ground substance
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n.
  1. The intercellular material in which the cells and fibers of connective tissue are embedded. Also called matrix.
  2. See hyaloplasm.

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Sports Science and Medicine: ground substance
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A relatively unstructured material, usually containing fibres, that fills the space between cells of connective tissue.

Veterinary Dictionary: ground substance
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The amorphous, gel-like material in which connective tissue cells and fibers are embedded.

Wikipedia: Ground substance
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Ground substance is a term for the non-cellular components of extracellular matrix containing the fibers.[1]

It is usually not visible on slides, because it is removed during the preparation process.[2]

Cells are surrounded by extracellular matrix in tissues, which acts as a support for the cells. Ground substance traditionally does not include collagen but does include all the other proteinaceous components, including proteoglycans, matrix proteins and, most prevalent, water. The non-collagenous components of extracellular matrix will vary depending on the tissue where it is found.

Ground substance is amorphous, gel-like, and is primarily composed of glycosaminoglycans (most notably hyaluronan), proteoglycans, and glycoproteins.

It is a connective tissue and along with Collagen Type 1 can be mineralized which is the form found in bone.

The meaning of the term has evolved over time.[3]

References

  1. ^ connective tissue at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
  2. ^ "Connective Tissue". http://www.courseweb.uottawa.ca/medicine-histology/English/SS_BasicTissues/Connective_Tissue.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-27. 
  3. ^ Wheatley DN (June 2003). "Diffusion, perfusion and the exclusion principles in the structural and functional organization of the living cell: reappraisal of the properties of the 'ground substance'". J. Exp. Biol. 206 (Pt 12): 1955–61. PMID 12756276. http://jeb.biologists.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=12756276. 

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Histology: connective tissue
Classification
Composition
Extracellular
matrix
(noncellular)
Ground substance
Resident
see also soft tissue

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Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Sports Science and Medicine. The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine. Copyright © Michael Kent 1998, 2006, 2007. All rights reserved.  Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Ground substance".  Read more