Besides cells what other substances do connective tissues have

Connective tissue is made up of three major components that are cells, ground substance, and fibers. The extracellular matrix is made up of fibers and ground substance.

Ground substance: It is a viscous fluid that is colorless and it fills the space present between cells and fibers. It acts as glue which helps in the attachment of cells to the matrix. This property is provided by proteoglycans and cell adhesion proteins.

Fibers: Fibers provide support and strength to the connective tissue. Three types of connective tissue fibers are Elastic fibers, collagen fibers, and reticular fiber.