TISSUE

INTRODUCTION
Tissues are groups of cells with specialized structural and functional roles. The four major types of
human tissue are epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous.

Epithelial tissues
a. epithelial tissue covers organs, lines cavities and hollow organs, and is the major tissue of glands
b. epithelium is anchored to connective tissue by a basement membrane, lacks blood vessels, consist
of tightly packed cells, and is replaced continuously
c. it functions in protection, secretion, absorption, and excretion
d. epithelial tissues are classified according to cell shape and number of layers of cells
1. SIMPLE SQUAMOUS EPITHELIUM
a. This tissue consists of a single layer of thin, flattened cells
b. It functions in gas exchange in the lungs and lines blood and lymph vessels and
various body cavities.
2. SIMPLE CUBOIDAL EPITHELIUM
a. This tissue consists of a single layer of cube-shape cells
b. It carries on secretion and absorption in the kidneys and various glands
3. SIMPLE COLUMNAR EPITHELIUM
a. This tissue is composed of elongated cells with nuclei near the basement membrane
b. It lines the uterus and digestive tract
c. Absorbing cells often have microvilli (tiny, cylindrical processes that extend from
some epithelial cells, increasing membrane surface area)
d. This tissue has goblet cells that secrete mucus
4. PSEUDOSTRATIFIED COLUMNAR EPITHELIUM
a. Nuclei located at two or more levels give this tissue a stratified appearance
b. Cilia that are part of this tissue move mucus over the surface
c. It lines passageways of the respiratory system
5. STRATIFIED SQUAMOUS EPITHELIUM
a. This tissue is composed of many layers of cells
b. It protects underlying cells
c. It forms the outer layer of the skin and lines the oral cavity, esophagus, vagina, and
anal canal
6. STRATIFIED CUBOIDAL EPITHELIUM
a. This tissue is composed of 2 or 3 layers of cube-shaped cells
b. It lines the larger ducts of the mammary glands, sweat glands, salivary glands, and
pancreas
c. It protects
7. STRATIFIED COLUMNAR EPITHELIUM
a. The top layer of cells in this tissue has elongated columns. Cube-shaped cells make
up the bottom layers
 b. It is in the male urethra and ductus deferens and parts of the pharynx
c. This tissue protects and secretes
8. TRANSITIONAL EPITHELIUM
a. This tissue is specialized to become distended
b. It is in the walls of various organs of the urinary tract
9. GLANDULAR EPITHELIUM
a. Glandular epithelium is composed of cells that are specialized to secrete substances
b. A gland consists of one or more cells
1. Exocrine glands secrete into ducts
2. Endocrine glands secrete into tissue fluid or blood
c. Exocrine glands are classified according to the composition of their secretions
1. Merocrine glands secrete fluid without loss of cytoplasm
a. Serous cells secrete watery fluid with a high enzyme content
b. Mucous cells secrete mucus
2. Apocrine glands lose portions of their cells during secretion
3. Holocrine glands release cells filled with secretory products

Connective tissues
a. Connective tissue connects, supports, protects, provides frameworks, fills spaces, stores fat,
produces blood cells, protects against infection, and helps repair damaged tissues
b. Connective tissue cells usually have considerable extracellular matrix between them
c. This extracellular matrix consists of fibers, a ground substance and fluid
d. Major cell types
1. Fibroblasts produce collagenous and elastic fibers
2. Macrophages are phagocytes
3. Mast cells may release heparin and histamine, and usually are near blood vessels
e. Connective tissue fibers
1. Collagenous fibers are composed of collagen and have great tensile strength
2. Elastic fibers are composed of elastin and are very elastic
3. Reticular fibers are very fine, collagenous fibers

Categories of Connective tissue

Connective tissue proper includes loose connective tissue and dense connective tissue. Specialized
connective tissue includes cartilage, bone, and blood.
a. Loose connective tissue
i. Areolar tissue forms thin membranes between organs and binds them. It is
beneath most layers of epithelium and between muscles.
ii. Adipose tissue stores fat. It is found beneath the skin, in certain abdominal
membranes, and around the kidneys, heart, and various joints.
iii. Reticular connective tissue is composed of thin, collagenous fibers. It helps
provide the framework of the liver and spleen.
 b. Dense connective tissue
- this tissue is largely composed of strong, collagenous fibers
- it is found in the tendons, ligaments, white portions of the eyes, and the deeper skin
Layers
c. Cartilage
- cartilage provides a supportive framework for various structures
- its extracellular matrix is composed of fibers and a gel-like ground substance
- cartilaginous structures are enclosed in a perichondrium
- cartilage lacks a direct blood supply and is slow to heal
- major types are hyaline cartilage, elastic cartilage, and fibrocartilage
d. Bone
- the extracellular matrix of bone contains mineral salts and collagen
- its cells are usually organized in concentric circles around central canals. Canaliculi
connect them.
- bone is an active tissue that heals rapidly
e. Blood
- blood transports substances and helps maintain a stable internal environment
- blood is composed of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets suspended in
Plasma
- blood cells develop in red marrow in the hollow parts of long bones

Types of Membranes
a. Epithelial membranes are thin, covering surfaces and lining cavities. Serous, mucous, and
cutaneous membranes are epithelial membranes.
b. Serous membranes, composed of epithelium and loose connective tissue, are membranes that
line body cavities lacking openings to the outside. The cells of serous membrane secrete serous
fluid to lubricate membrane surfaces.
c. Mucous membranes, composed of epithelium and loose connective tissue, are membranes that
line body cavities opening to the outside. Goblet cells within these membranes secrete mucus.
d. The cutaneous membrane is the external body covering commonly called skin.
e. Synovial membranes, composed entirely of connective tissues, line joints.

Muscle tissues
a. Muscle tissues contract, moving structures that are attached to them
b. The three types are skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle tissues.
1. Skeletal muscle tissue
a. Muscles containing this tissue usually are attached to bones and controlled by
conscious effort.
b. Cells, or muscle fibers, are long and thread-like
 c. Muscle cells contract when stimulated by nerve cells, and then relax when stimulation
stops.
2. Smooth muscle tissue
a. This tissue is in the walls of hollow internal organs
b. Usually it is involuntarily controlled.
3. Cardiac muscle tissue
a. This tissue is found only in the heart
b. Cells are joined by intercalated discs and form branched networks.

Nervous tissues
a. Nervous tissues are in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.
b. Neurons (nerve cells)
1. Neurons sense changes and respond by transmitting nerve impulses to other neurons or to
muscles or glands.
2. They coordinate, regulate, and integrate body activities
c. Neuroglial cells
1. Some of these cells bind and support nervous tissue
2. Others carry on phagocytosis.
3. Still others connect neurons to blood vessels
4. They also play a role in cell-to-cell communication.