the supporting or framework tissue of the animal body, formed of fibrous and ground substance with more or less numerous cells of various kinds, kollageenist, elastiinist, retikuliinist jt ainetest moodustunud tugikude; sidekoe alaliigid on: nahk, sooned, kõõlused, rasvkude; sidekude sisaldub ka lihaskoes lihastesisese ja lihastevahelise sidekoe näol
