Connective tissue is composed of three types of fibres and nonfibrous ground substanceCollagen fibers: Resist tensile deformation and are responsible for the strength and stiffness of tissuesixes classes with 19 types of collagen; the tendon and ligaments mostly contain type I collagen, which is highly resistant to tensionAs collagen fibers develop and mature, they bind initially with unstable hydrogen bonding, which then converts to stable bondingElastin fibersReticulin fibersGround substance: made up of proteoglycans (PGs) and glycoproteins.PGs is to hydrate the matrix, stabilize the collagen networks, and resist conpressive forcesGlycoproteins provides the linkage between the matrix and between the cells and matrix Ground substance: containing water to reduce friction and may helo prevent excessive cross-linking between fibers by maintaining space between fibers