Mixed Connective Tissue Disease:

Mixed connective tissue disease or MCTD is a disease that is marked by an overlapping of three different connective tissue disorders. It was first recognized as a distinctive pattern disease by the medical community in 1974. MCTD is any combination of symptoms from multiple individual connective tissue diseases. The minimum for mixed connective tissue disease is three different the most common combination is systemic lupus erythematosis, dermatomyositis, and systemic sclerosis.

Dense Connective Tissue:

Dense connective tissue disease is any disease that affects connective tissue structures that are more collagenous in character than rich in elastin. The combination of these two types of protein is the reason why different connective tissues have different textures. For example, bone marrow and tendons are considered connective tissues but the ratios between collagen and elastin are different. Dense connective tissue diseases occur when the amount of collagen and elastin are abnormal. This structural problem affects the overall function of organs that are composed of dense connective tissue. These disorders could be caused by vitamin deficiencies, genetics, and underlying autoimmune abnormalities.

Loose Connective Tissue:

Loose connective tissue, better known as areolar connective tissue is distinguished from its denser counterpart by a looser arrangement of interwoven fibers of elastin and collagen. There is a greater level of elastin in loose connective tissue than in dense connective tissue, making the tissue stretchy. Within loose connective tissue, there is still more collagen than elastin. There are similar disorders to dense connective tissue; however, the symptoms manifest themselves in a different manner. Loose connective tissue diseases are more common as this is the dominant type of connective tissue on the human body.

Mixed Connective Tissue Disease:

Mixed connective tissue disease or MCTD is a disease that is marked by an overlapping of three different connective tissue disorders. It was first recognized as a distinctive pattern disease by the medical community in 1974. MCTD is any combination of symptoms from multiple individual connective tissue diseases. The minimum for mixed connective tissue disease is three different the most common combination is systemic lupus erythematosis, dermatomyositis, and systemic sclerosis.

Dense Connective Tissue:

Dense connective tissue disease is any disease that affects connective tissue structures that are more collagenous in character than rich in elastin. The combination of these two types of protein is the reason why different connective tissues have different textures. For example, bone marrow and tendons are considered connective tissues but the ratios between collagen and elastin are different. Dense connective tissue diseases occur when the amount of collagen and elastin are abnormal. This structural problem affects the overall function of organs that are composed of dense connective tissue. These disorders could be caused by vitamin deficiencies, genetics, and underlying autoimmune abnormalities.

Loose Connective Tissue:

Loose connective tissue, better known as areolar connective tissue is distinguished from its denser counterpart by a looser arrangement of interwoven fibers of elastin and collagen. There is a greater level of elastin in loose connective tissue than in dense connective tissue, making the tissue stretchy. Within loose connective tissue, there is still more collagen than elastin. There are similar disorders to dense connective tissue; however, the symptoms manifest themselves in a different manner. Loose connective tissue diseases are more common as this is the dominant type of connective tissue on the human body.