Soft tissue

Soft tissue is a broad anatomical term referring to the parts of the body that are not bone or internal organs. It includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, fat (adipose tissue), fibrous connective tissues, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, nerves, fasciae, and synovial membranes[4][7][10]. These tissues serve various functions such as supporting movement by connecting bones and joints; protecting organs; storing energy in the form of fat; transporting blood and lymph; and providing structural integrity throughout the body. The term “soft tissue” is used clinically to distinguish these structures from bones when diagnosing injuries like sprains or contusions. While many diseases can affect soft tissues—including cancers like soft tissue sarcomas—“soft tissue” itself does not refer to a specific molecular target but rather an anatomical category encompassing multiple cell types and biological roles[1][2][4][7]. "Soft tissue connects and surrounds or supports internal organs and bones...and includes muscle, tendons, ligaments, fat...lymph and blood vessels...”[4] Because "soft tissue" is an umbrella anatomical descriptor rather than a discrete molecule/receptor/protein/gene/enzyme/receptor/transporter/etc., it is not considered a therapeutic target in the conventional sense used for drug discovery or molecular medicine. Therefore: This entry should be flagged as incorrect for use as a molecular target.

Other names

soft tissuessoft tissue structures