Tissues

OBJECTIVE:
After studying this concept, the students should be able to:

Name the four basic types of tissue that make up the human
body and state the characteristics of each.
Discuss the general features and function of each tissue.
Describe the structure and location of the tissues

Introduction:
A tissue is a group of similar cells, usually with a common
embryonic origin, that function together to carry out specialized
activities.
Tissues are groups of cells with a common structure and
function.
Composed of four basic types in the body.
The 4 Basic Tissue Types in the Human Body
Tissues are groups of cells with a common structure (form) and
function (job).
There are four main tissues in the body Epithelium,
Connective tissue, Nervous tissue and Muscle tissue.

I.

EPITHELIUM
Epithelial tissue covers the whole surface of the
body. It is made up of cells closely packed and
ranged in one or more layers. This tissue is
specialized to form the covering or lining of all internal
and external body surfaces.

Functions:

Protection
Epithelial cells from the skin protect underlying tissue from
mechanical injury, harmful chemicals, invading bacteria and from
excessive loss of water.

Sensation
Sensory stimuli penetrate specialized epithelial cells. Specialized
epithelial tissue containing sensory nerve endings is found in the
skin, eyes, ears, and nose and on the tongue.

Secretion
In glands, epithelial tissue is specialized to secrete specific
chemical substances such as enzymes, hormones and lubricating
fluids.

Absorption
Certain epithelial cells lining the small intestine absorb nutrients
from the digestion of food.

Excretion
Epithelial tissues in the kidney excrete waste products from the
body and reabsorb needed materials from the urine. Sweat is
also excreted from the body by epithelial cells in the sweat
glands.

Diffusion
Simple epithelium promotes the diffusion of gases, liquids and
nutrients. Because they form such a thin lining, they are ideal for
the diffusion of gases (eg. walls of capillaries and lungs).

Cleaning
Ciliated epithelium assists in removing dust particles and foreign
bodies which have entered the air passages.

Reduces Friction
The smooth, tightly-interlocking, epithelial cells that line the
entire circulatory system reduce friction between the blood and
the walls of the blood vessels.

Characteristics:
1) Closely attached to each other forming a protective barrier.
2) Always has one free (apical) surface opened to outside the body or
inside (cavity) an internal organ
3) Always had one fixed (basal) section attached to underlying
connective tissue
4) Has no blood vessels but can soak up nutrients from blood vessels in
connective tissue underneath.

5) Can have lots of nerves in it (innervated).

6) Very good at regenerating (fixing itself)

Classifications:
1) By shape
a) Squamous - flat and scale-like
b) Cuboidal - as tall as they are wide
c) Columnar - tall, column-shaped
2) By cell arrangement
a) Simple epithelium - single layer of cells (usually for absorption and
filtration)
b) Stratified epithelium - stacked up call layers (protection from
abrasion (rubbing) - mouth, skin.)The 4 Basic Tissue Types in the
Human Body
c) Pseudostratified columnar epithelium- derived from the appearance
of this epithelium in section which conveys the erroneous.
- Pseudo means false, impression that there is more than one layer of
cells. (Usually for secretion or absorption)

II.

CONNECTIVE TISSUE

Most abundant widely in formation distributed tissue in the body.

More variation than any other tissue type.
This tissue also provides a mechanical framework (the
skeleton) which plays an important role in locomotion.
Located at skin, membranes, muscles, bone nerves and all the
internal organs.

Major types of Connective tissue:

a. Aerolar
Fibrous connective tissue, loosely packed,
to hold tissue layers together

b. Adipose
Fatty tissue; type of loose connective
tissue that stores energy insulates and
cushions the body.

c. Fibrous
Tissue composed of bundles of
collagenous white fibers between which
are rows of connective tissue cells.

d. Bone tissue
Most rigid connective tissue, internally
supports body structures, very active
tissue, heals much more rapidly than
cartilage

e. Cartilage tissue
Dense, flexible tissue similar to bone
tissue.

f. Blood tissue

 Consists of blood cells surrounded by

nonliving fluid matrix called plasma.
funcion:transport vehicle for
cardiovascular system, carrying nutrients,
wastes, respiratory gases, and many other
substances thru body.

g. Hemopoietic tissue
produces blood cells that are added to the
circulating blood, removes worn out blood
cells from the blood stream, red bone
marrow, lymphatic tissue, yellow bone
marrow

Functions:
1) Wraps around and cushions and protects organs
2) Stores nutrients
3) Internal support for organs

4) As tendon and ligaments protects joints and attached muscles to

bone and each other
5) Runs through organ capsules and in deep layers of skin giving
strength.
III.
NERVOUS TISSUE
All living cells have the ability to react to stimuli. Nervous tissue
is specialized to react to stimuli and to conduct impulses to
various organs in the body which bring about a response to
stimulus.
Nervous tissue is responsible for sensing stimuli and transmitting signals
to and from different parts of an organism. Neurons are the basic unit of
nervous tissue.

Functions:
a. Conducts impulses to and from body organs via neurons
b. Functions of the nervous system are sensory input, integration,
control of muscles and glands, homeostasis, and mental activity.
c. The structure of a neuron is uniquely suited to its function within
nervous tissue.

IV.
MUSCLE TISSUE
Muscle tissue has an ability to relax and contrast and so bring
about movement and mechanical work in various parts of the
body.
There are other movements in the body too which are necessary
for the survival of the organism such as the heart beat and
the movements of the alimentary canal.
Functions:

Movement
Contraction (shortening) causes movement
Of the body as a whole when connected to
Of materials through the body (blood, food, etc.

Maintenance of posture
Continual maintenance of posture via muscle contractions
to either keep body standing or sitting
Joint stabilization
Muscle tone stabilizes and strengthens joints
Heat generation
Muscles produce heat as product of contraction.

The 3 Types of Muscle Tissue

Smooth Muscle organ walls and blood vessel walls, involuntary,

spindle-shaped cells for pushing things through organs.

Skeletal Muscle large body muscles, voluntary, striated muscle

packed in bundles and attached to bones for movement.

Cardiac Muscle heart wall, involuntary, striated muscle with

intercalated discs connecting cells for synchronized contractions
during heart beat.