Cell Differentiation

SNC2D

Tissues
Although all cells in your body contain the same
DNA, they are not all alike.

Tissues
Although all cells in your body contain the same
DNA, they are not all alike. They have different
functions and therefore different forms.

Tissues
Groups of cells that work together to perform the
same function are called tissues.

Tissues
Groups of cells that work together to perform the
same function are called tissues.
In animals, the 4 types of tissues are:

Epithelial Tissue
Epithelial tissue is made of cells that are tightly
packed together to form a protective barrier. It
lines the outer surface of the body and body
cavities.

Connective Tissue
Connective tissue joins and supports structures. It
includes tendons, ligaments, bones, cartilage,
blood, and fat.

Muscle Tissue
Muscle tissue includes both skeletal muscles that
help you move and smooth and cardiac muscles
that help your organs move.

Nervous Tissue
Nervous tissue
responds to
stimuli and sends
signals through
the body.

Plant Tissues
There are similarly 4 types of tissues in plants:
vascular, (epi)dermal, ground, and meristematic.

Vascular Tissue
Vascular tissue transports water and nutrients:
xylem moves water and minerals up from the roots;
phloem moves the photosynthesized sugar around

(Epi)dermal Tissue
Epidermal tissue forms the protective outer
covering and allows the exchange of materials
(e.g. O2 and CO2) in and out of the plant
(through stomata).
Section of a leaf:

Ground Tissue
Ground tissue provides support, stores water and
nutrients, and is where photosynthesis happens
(in the specialized mesophyll).

Section of a leaf:

Meristematic Tissue
Meristematic tissue (e.g. onion root tips) is where
growth occurs.

Meristematic Tissue
The cells in meristematic tissue are stem cells:
unspecialized cells that can become other
specialized types of cells when exposed to
special environmental conditions
(differentiation).

Meristematic Tissue
The cells in meristematic tissue are stem cells:
unspecialized cells that can become other
specialized types of cells when exposed to
special environmental conditions
(differentiation).
Stem cells also exist in animals, e.g. in the skin,
blood and neural tissues of adult humans.

Stem Cells
Understanding stem cells is important to
understanding how the body can repair itself. . . .

Regeneration
Regeneration is the
process whereby a body
part is regrown (by the
process of mitosis).
E.g. salamanders can
regrow tails and even
amputated limbs

Regeneration
Humans have a more limited ability to regenerate.
However, researchers have been able to
regenerate adult fingertips:

Regeneration
. . . and have taken cells from patients to regrow
parts of organs in labs, which are then
transplanted back into the patients:

Future Treatments
Researchers are also trying to discover how stemcell-related treatments can be used to help the
body fight cancers and recover from
degenerative diseases like Parkinsons or
Alzheimers.

The Future Is Now

10 November 2010 Blood Breakthrough at
Mac in the Hamilton Spectator:

To Do

Answer the questions related to the Blood

Breakthrough at Mac article
View the prepared slides of different types of
tissues with the microscopes
Answer #1 5 on p. 41 and #1 5 on p. 45

Stem Cells
Embryonic stem cells can become any type of cell.