Histology Lab Part 1
INTRODUCTION:
There are four types of tissue in the human body.
Tissues are specialized __________________ organized together to complete a specific task in the human
body.
______________________________ is the study of tissues.
EPITHELIAL TISSUE
STATION #1: VOCABULARY
o Avascular:
o Goblet Cells:
o Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelia:
o Apical Surface:
o Serosae:
o Mucosae:
STATION #2: SIMPLE SQUAMOUS EPITHELIA
1. What is the function of this tissue type?
2. Where is this tissue type found in the body?
STATION #3: STRATIFIED SQUAMOUS EPITHELIA
1. Describe the shape of these cells.
2. Where is this tissue type found in the body?
3. What is its purpose?
STATION #4: TRANSITIONAL EPITHELIA
1. To what other type of epithelia is this tissue most similar?
2. Where is this tissue type found in the body?
3. This tissue type does what for the human body?
STATION #5: SIMPLE CUBOIDAL EPITHELIA
1. Describe the shape of these cells.
2. Where could this tissue type found in the body?
STATION #6: SIMPLE COLUMNAR EPITHELIA
1. How many cell layers should this tissue have? _________
2. Where is this tissue type found in the body?
3. This tissue type usually contains specialized cells, called _________________
cells that produce important lubricating mucous. Draw one below.
STATION #7: REVIEW
Go back to your seats. Use your lab notes/textbook.
What type of epithelial tissue would you expect to find in the…
1. Lungs?
2. Respiratory tract?
3. Esophagus?
4. Kidneys?
7. Urinary System?
5. Bladder?
8. Ovaries?
6. Endocrine Glands?
9. Esophagus?
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
STATION #8
EXAMPLES:
1.
4.
7.
2.
5.
8.
3.
6.
9.
VOCABULARY:
o Chondrocytes:
o Osseus tissue:
o Extracellular matrix:
o Vascularized:
o Reticular Connective Tissue:
o hyalin:
STATION #9: AREOLAR TISSUE
1. Describe this tissue in one word. ________________________
2. What does this tissue store? ____________________________
3. This type of connective tissue is categorized as ____________________________.
4. Areola = __________________________
5. Areolar tissue is the cause of inflammation. Why does it do this and what does it cause?
STATION #10: HUMAN BLOOD SMEAR
1. Why is blood an example of this tissue type?
2. Blood may also be called __________________________.
3. What does blood carry?
STATION #11: ADIPOSE TISSUE = _____________
1. Adipose cells are a type of connective tissue. Which type?
2. Describe the look of this tissue in one word. ________________________
3. Where can adipose be found?
4. What is its purpose?
STATION #12: TENDONS are not well-_______________________ like other types of connective tissue are.
1. Of what type of specific connective tissue is a tendon made?
2. Tendons do what in the human body?
3. How do they differ from ligaments?
STATION #13: CARTILAGE is _____________________ making it an exception to the connective tissue rule.
1. Cartilage is _______________ hard and _______________ flexible than bone.
2. What are the three types of cartilage? Circle the one that is most common.
3. Compare/contrast hyaline and elastic. Draw both and explain the differences that you see.
STATION #14: REVIEW
Go back to your seats. Use your lab notes/textbook.
Which type of connective tissue is being described by the following pictures?
Fetal skeleton
STATION #15: Take notes on MUSCLE TISSUE.
Function:
3 types:
Multinucleate cells have…
Which type(s) is/are…
 Voluntary?

Involuntary?
Where would you find _____________ in the human body?
1. Skeletal –
2. Cardiac –
3. Smooth –
total mag.:___________
STATION #16: Examine and draw the striated muscle.
1. What types of muscles are striated?
2. How would these 2 types of muscles differ from each other?
STATION #17: Examine and draw the involuntary muscle.
1. Based on your observations, what type of muscle is this? Explain.
STATION #18: Take notes on NERVOUS TISSUE!
Function:
Neurons =
Glial Cells =
3 types of neurons and what they do –
Draw the picture of the neuron from the website. Label each part and its function.
total mag.:___________
STATION #19: Cell Organelle Review
A.
E.
B.
F.
C.
G.
D.
H.
STATION #20: Histology Summary
STATION #1
Epithelial Tissue Vocabulary
Functions:
 Line/cover body surfaces
 Protection, absorption, filtration, secretion
Characteristics:
1. Found throughout the body, covers all body surfaces both inside and out
2. Contains apical surface (a free, unattached, unexposed surface or end)
3. Continuous sheet with cells bound tightly
4. Avascular (no direct blood supply)
5. Basal (lower surface) rests on basement membrane (non-cellular, non-living)
which connects it to connective tissue
6. Regenerate easily and rapidly
Epithelial Cell Examples:
 Goblet Cells: found in simple columnar epithelium, produce lubricating
mucus.
 Skin Cells
 Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelial Cells: One layer (simple) of cells of
varying heights; gives the impression of stratified (pseudo); found in the
respiratory tract
Other important epithelia vocabulary:
 Serosae: Slick membranes that line the ventral body cavities and cover the
organs in those cavities.
 Mucosae: Membranes that line body cavities open to the exterior of the
body.
STATION #2
Simple Squamous Epithelia
Epithelium is classified based on # of cell layers and cell shape. One cell-layer-type is
described below.
1. Simple epithelium is one cell layer thick.
a. Simple squamous – flat, fish-like scales
 In air sacs of lungs, capillary walls, serosa (lines cavities)
 Filtration/exchange of materials through fast diffusion (carbon
dioxide and oxygen for example)
b. Simple cuboidal – dice-like
 In ovaries, kidneys, salivary glands, pancreas
c. Simple columnar – in columns
 Entire digestive tract is made up of this
 Contain goblet cells with produce lubricating mucus
d. Pseudostratified columnar (in columns of various heights)
 In respiratory tract
STATION #3
Stratified Squamous Epithelia’s main purpose is protection since it is the thickest of
the epithelial tissues.
Although this epithelium is referred to as squamous, many cells within the layers
may not be flattened. This is due to the convention of naming epithelia according
to the cell type at the surface. In the deeper layers, the cells may be columnar or
cuboidal.
Epithelium is classified based on # of cell layers and cell shape. The other celllayer-type is described below (and glandular)
2. Stratified epithelium is more than one cell layer thick.
a. Stratified squamous: most common type of epithelial tissue
 In esophagus, mouth, outer skin
 Purpose: protection due to thickness; found in sites that receive a
good deal of abuse and friction (mouth, esophagus, outer skin)
b. Stratified cuboidal and columnar
 Rare
 In large ducts of various glands (pancreas for example)
c. Transitional (also called urothelium)
 Allows stretching so as to accommodate for volume fluctuations
 Protects against caustic effects of urine
 In urinary bladder, ureters, urethra and prostrate (urinary system)
 Very similar to stratified squamous
3. Glandular –make up glands that secrete products; of cuboidal and columnar
type
STATION #4
Transitional Epithelia is a type of stratified tissue. Use the image on the Promethean
screen for your sketch.
Epithelium is classified based on # of cell layers and cell shape. See below for the
description about stratified tissue.
2. Stratified epithelium is more than two cell layers thick.
a. Stratified squamous: most common type of epithelial tissue
 In esophagus, mouth, outer skin
b. Stratified cuboidal and columnar
 Rare
 In large ducts of various glands (pancreas for example)
c. Transitional (also called urothelium)
 Allows stretching so as to accommodate for volume fluctuations
 Protects against caustic effects of urine
 In urinary bladder, ureters, urethra and prostrate (urinary system)
 Very similar to stratified squamous
STATION #5
Simple Cuboidal Epithelia
1. Simple epithelium is one cell layer thick.
a. Simple squamous – flat, fish-like scales
 In air sacs of lungs, capillary walls, serosa (lines cavities)
 Filtration/exchange of materials through fast diffusion (carbon
dioxide and oxygen for example)
b. Simple cuboidal – dice-like
 In ovaries, kidneys, salivary glands, pancreas
c. Simple columnar – in columns
 Entire digestive tract is made up of this
 Contain goblet cells with produce lubricating mucus
d. Pseudostratified columnar (in columns of various heights)
 In respiratory tract
2. Stratified (2 or more cell layers thick)
3. Glandular –make up glands that secrete products; of cuboidal and columnar
type
STATION #6
Simple Columnar Epithelia
1. Simple epithelium is one cell layer thick.
a. Simple squamous – flat, fish-like scales
 In air sacs of lungs, capillary walls, serosa (lines cavities)
 Filtration/exchange of materials through fast diffusion (carbon
dioxide and oxygen for example)
b. Simple cuboidal – dice-like
 In ovaries, kidneys, salivary glands, pancreas
c. Simple columnar – in columns
 Entire digestive tract is made up of this
 Contain goblet cells with produce lubricating mucus
d. Pseudostratified columnar (in columns of various heights)
 In respiratory tract
2. Stratified (2 or more cell layers thick)
3. Glandular –make up glands that secrete products; of cuboidal and columnar
type
STATION #8
Connective Tissue Examples and Vocabulary
CONNECTIVE TISSUE IS THE MOST ABUNDANT TYPE OF TISSUE FOUND IN
THE HUMAN BODY!
Function: connects body parts and support
Characteristics:
 very well-vascularized (with 3 exceptions)
 contains extracellular matrix (the defining feature in connective tissue; gives
structural support to tissues, separates different types of tissues; regulates cell
communication; non-living)
Examples:
1. Bone (osseous tissue)
 Bone cells sit in a matrix (netting) of calcium and cartilage
 Rigid due to mineral salts
2. Three Types of Cartilage (cartilage cells = chondrocytes)
 Hyaline: hyalin = glass; found in larynx, ribs, ends of bones, fetal
skeleton; most abundant type of cartilage in the body
 Fibrocartilage: very tough, cushion-like disk between vertebrae
 Elastic: more flexible; found in external ear
 Characteristics: soft, flexible, avascular
3. Dense, fibrous connective tissue
 Tendons (connect muscles to bones)
 Ligaments (connects bone to bone)
 Not well-vascularized (poor blood supply), thus slow
healing…remember I would rather break a bone than tear a tendon or
ligament.
4. Loose connective tissue
 Areolar: cobwebby; cushions and protects; acts as a reservoir (storage
tank) for water and salts; areola = small, open space
 Edema = when a body region becomes puffy because areolar
tissue soaks up excess fluid due to an inflammatory injury or
reaction, etc.
 Adipose: FAT (ring-like cells); insulates and cushions; can be found
beneath the skin (subcutaneous layer), around organs, in fat depots
(breasts and hips)
 Reticular: branch-like; support lymphoid organs; found in lymph nodes,
liver, spleen, bone marrow, kidneys
5. Blood is also called vascular tissue
 Considered connective tissue because it contains blood cells and a
fibrous extracellular matrix called blood plasma.
 Fibrous tissues only appear when blood clots
 Blood carries water, nutrients, oxygen, wastes, etc.
 Two types of blood cells: red (erythrocytes) and white (leukocytes)
STATION #9
Areolar Tissue is a type of loose connective tissue.
 Areolar: cobwebby; cushions and protects; acts as a reservoir (storage
tank) for water and salts; areola = small, open space
 Edema = when a body region becomes puffy because areolar
tissue soaks up excess fluid due to an inflammatory injury or
reaction, etc.
 Adipose: FAT (ring-like cells); insulates and cushions; can be found
beneath the skin (subcutaneous layer), around organs, in fat depots
(breasts and hips)
 Reticular: branch-like; support lymphoid organs; found in lymph nodes,
liver, spleen, bone marrow, kidneys
STATION #10
The Human Blood Smear can be viewed both with microscope using the prepared
slide and on the Promethean screen. Label the parts that are labeled for you. Use
both images so that you can compare.
Blood is also called vascular tissue. It is considered connective tissue because it
contains blood cells and a fibrous extracellular matrix called blood plasma. The
fibrous tissues only appear when blood clots. Blood is made up of cells and fluids:
platelets, blood cells and plasma. It carries water, nutrients, oxygen, wastes, etc.
Two types of blood cells are red (erythrocytes) and white (leukocytes)…write these
words down and their meanings.
STATION #11
Adipose Tissue is a type of loose connective tissue.
 Areolar: cobwebby; cushions and protects; acts as a reservoir (storage
tank) for water and salts; areola = small, open space
 Edema = when a body region becomes puffy because areolar
tissue soaks up excess fluid due to an inflammatory injury or
reaction, etc.
 Adipose: FAT (ring-like cells); insulates and cushions; can be found
beneath the skin (subcutaneous layer), around organs, in fat depots
(breasts and hips)
 Reticular: branch-like; support lymphoid organs; found in lymph nodes,
liver, spleen, bone marrow, kidneys
STATION #12
Tendons (sinews…know this word) are a type of dense and fibrous connective
tissue. They connect muscles to bones and have a poor blood supply flowing to
them, thus have a slow healing process…remember I would rather break a bone
than tear a tendon or ligament. They are similar in stretchy structure to ligaments
which connect bone to bone.
STATION #13
Cartilage includes three main types:
 Hyaline: hyalin = glass; found in larynx, ribs, ends of bones, fetal
skeleton; most abundant type of cartilage in the body
 Fibrocartilage: very tough, cushion-like disk between vertebrae
 Elastic: more flexible; found in external ear
 Characteristics: soft, flexible, avascular
STATION #15
Muscle Tissue
Function: fibers contract and relax to cause movement
Three Types:
1. Skeletal: attached to skeleton; voluntary, loooooonnnng; multinucleate
(many nuclei) cells with striations (parallel fibers)
2. Cardiac: found in the heart; involuntary; branching, striated cells
3. Smooth: involuntary; slower action; no striations; spindle shape; found
in hollow organs like the stomach
STATION #16
Striated Muscle Tissue = striped or voluntary
Three Types of Muscle Tissue:
1. Skeletal: attached to skeleton; voluntary, loooooonnnng; multinucleate
(many nuclei) cells with striations (parallel fibers)
2. Cardiac: found in the heart; involuntary; branching, striated cells
3. Smooth: involuntary; slower action; no striations; spindle shape; found
in hollow organs like the stomach
STATION #17
Involuntary Muscle Tissue
Three Types of Muscle Tissue:
1. Skeletal: attached to skeleton; voluntary, loooooonnnng; multinucleate
(many nuclei) cells with striations (parallel fibers)
2. Cardiac: found in the heart; involuntary; branching, striated cells
3. Smooth: involuntary; slower action; no striations; spindle shape; found
in hollow organs like the stomach
STATION #18
Nervous Tissue
Function: sends electrochemical impulses in the brain and spinal cord
Made of neurons (nerve cells) and supporting glial cells.
Use the following website for the neuron picture you need to sketch and other
information:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/anatomy/brain/Neuron.shtml
 Be sure to sketch the neuron and label its parts and their functions!
View the nervous tissue under the microscope as well.
STATION #19
Review the organelles of eukaryotic animal cells (found in the human body) using
the cell model. List the names of the organelles on your lab sheet according to the
cell model labels.
STATION #20
REVIEW: Put the answers to the following questions in full sentences.
SAVE UNTIL FRIDAY!
1) What are the 6 types of epithelial tissue (not including glandular)?
2) What is the most abundant type of tissue in the body?
3) Which tissue type is generally avascular?
4) Differentiate between ligaments and tendons?
5) Why do they take so long to heal?
6) What are the three types of muscle tissue? Which are voluntary vs.
involuntary?
7) Which type of tissue binds structures together?
8) When you pierce your ear, what type of cartilage are you going through?
Nose?
9) Differentiate between the two types of blood cells.
10) Differentiate between the two types of nerve cells.
11) Which part of the neuron receives electrochemical messages from other
neurons?
12) What is the purpose of the Schwann cells?