Dense irregular connective tissue has fibers that are not arranged in parallel bundles as indense regular connective tissue.
Dense irregular connective tissue has lessground substance thanloose connective tissue.[1]Fibroblasts are the predominant cell type, scattered sparsely across the tissue.[2]
This type of connective tissue is found mostly in thereticular layer (or deep layer) of thedermis.[3] It is also in thesclera and in the deeper skin layers. Due to high portions ofcollagenous fibers, dense irregular connective tissue provides strength, making the skin resistant to tearing by stretching forces from different directions.[4]
Dense irregular connective tissue also makes upsubmucosa of the digestive tract,lymph nodes, and some types offascia.[5] Other examples includeperiosteum andperichondrium of bones, and thetunica albuginea of testis. In the submucosa layer, the fiber bundles course in varying planes allowing the organ to resist excessive stretching and distension.
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