Chapter 6
Tissues
Principal Types of Tissue
Four types of tissues:
I. Epithelial tissue
II. Connective tissue
III. Muscle tissue
IV. Nervous tissue
Extracellular Matrix (ECM)

Functions


Helps bind tissues together structurally
Allows local communication among ECM and
various cells—through connection via
integrins in plasma membranes
Extracellular Matrix (ECM)

Components

Water

Proteins

Structural proteins



Collagen—strong, flexible protein fiber
Elastin—elastic fibers
Includes glycoproteins—proteins with a few
carbohydrate attachments

Glycoprotein attachments also allow local communication
within a tissue
I. Epithelial Tissue

Functions





Protection
Sensory functions
Secretion
Absorption
Excretion
I. Epithelial Tissue

Types and locations

Epithelium is divided into two types:
Membranous epithelium—covers the body and
some of its parts; lines the serous cavities, blood
and lymphatic vessels, and respiratory, digestive,
and genitourinary tracts
 Glandular epithelium—secretory units of endocrine
and exocrine glands

I. Epithelial Tissue

Classification of epithelial tissue

Classification based on cell shape




Squamous
Cuboidal
Columnar
Pseudostratified columnar
I. Simple epithelium
1. Simple squamous epithelium
 One-cell layer of flat cells
 Permeable to many substances
 Examples: endothelium—lines blood vessels;
mesothelium—pleura
I. Simple epithelium
2. Simple cuboidal epithelium
 One-cell layer of cuboidal cells
 Found in many glands and ducts
I. Simple epithelium
3. Simple columnar epithelium
 Single layer of tall, column-shaped cells
 Cells often modified for specialized functions—e.g.,
goblet cells (secretion), cilia (movement), microvilli
(absorption)
 Often lines hollow visceral structures
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I. Simple epithelium
4. Pseudostratified columnar epithelium
 Columnar cells of differing heights
 All cells rest on basement membrane but may not reach
the free surface above
 Cell nuclei at odd and irregular levels
 Found lining air passages and segments of male
reproductive system
 Motile cilia and mucus are important modifications
I. Stratified epithelium
5.
A. Stratified squamous (keratinized) epithelium
 Multiple layers of flat, squamous cells
 Cells filled with keratin
 Covers outer skin on body surface
I. Stratified epithelium
5.
B. Stratified squamous (nonkeratinized) epithelium
 Lines vagina, mouth, and esophagus
 Free surface is moist
 Primary function is protection
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I. Stratified epithelium
6. Stratified cuboidal epithelium
 Two or more rows of cells are typical
 Basement membrane is indistinct
 Located in sweat gland ducts and pharynx
I. Stratified epithelium
7. Stratified columnar epithelium
 Multiple layers of columnar cells
 Only most superficial cells are typical in shape
 Rare
 Located in segments of male urethra and near anus
I. Stratified epithelium
8. Stratified transitional epithelium
 Located in lining of hollow viscera subjected to stress
(e.g., urinary bladder)
 Often 10 or more layers thick
 Protects organ walls from tearing
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Can you identify these?
A
B
C
D
F
G
E
II. Connective Tissue

Functions, characteristics, and types


General function—connects, supports,
transports, and protects
General characteristics—extracellular matrix (ECM)
predominates in most connective tissues and
determines its physical characteristics; consists of
fluid, gel, or solid matrix, with or without extracellular
fibers (collagenous, reticular, and elastic) and
proteoglycans or other compounds that thicken and
hold together the tissue
II. Connective Tissue

Four main types:
1.Fibrous
A. Loose, ordinary
(areolar)
B. Adipose
C. Reticular
D. Dense


Irregular
Regular
(collagenous and elastic)
2. Bone
A. Compact bone
B. Cancellous bone
3. Cartilage
A. Hyaline
B. Fibrocartilage
C. Elastic
4. Blood
1. Fibrous connective tissue
A. Loose, ordinary (areolar) connective
tissue
One of the most widely distributed of all tissues
 Intercellular substance is prominent and consists
of collagenous and elastic fibers loosely interwoven
and embedded in soft, viscous ground substance
Function—stretchy, flexible connection

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1. Fibrous connective tissue
B. Adipose tissue


Similar to loose connective tissue but contains
mainly fat cells
Functions—protection, insulation, support,
and food reserve
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1. Fibrous connective tissue
C. Reticular tissue



Forms framework of spleen, lymph nodes, and bone
marrow
Consists of network of branching reticular fibers with
reticular
cells overlying them
Functions—defense against microorganisms and
other injurious substances; reticular meshwork filters
out injurious particles, and reticular cells phagocytose
them
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1. Fibrous connective tissue
D. Dense fibrous tissue

Matrix consists mainly of fibers packed
densely and relatively few fibroblast cells


Irregular—fibers intertwine irregularly to form a thick mat (Figure 5-20)
Regular—bundles of fibers are arranged in regular, parallel rows


Collagenous—mostly collagenous fibers in ECM (Figure 5-21 and 5-22)
Elastic—mostly elastic fibers in ECM (Figure 5-23)
Locations—composes structures that need great
tensile strength, such as tendons and ligaments;
also dermis and outer capsule of kidney and
spleen
 Function—furnishes flexible connections that are
strong or stretchy

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2. Bone tissue

Highly specialized connective tissue type



Cells—osteocytes—embedded in a calcified matrix
Inorganic component of matrix accounts for 65%
of total bone tissue
Functions:

Support

Protection

Point of attachment for muscles

Reservoir for minerals

Supports blood-forming tissue
A. Compact bone

Osteon (Haversian system)





Cell types:




Structural unity of bone
Spaces for osteocytes called lacunae
Matrix present in concentric rings called lamellae
Canaliculi are canals that join lacunae with the central Haversian canal
Osteocyte—mature, inactive bone cell
Osteoblast—active, bone-forming cell
Osteoclast—bone-destroying cell
Formation (ossification)


In membranes—e.g., flat bones of skull
From cartilage (endochondral)—e.g., long bones, such as the humerus
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B. Cancellous bone

Trabeculae—thin beams of bone

Supports red bone marrow
Myeloid tissue—a type of reticular tissue
 Produces blood cells


Called spongy bone because of its spongelike
appearance
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3. Cartilage





Chondrocyte is only cell type present
Lacunae house cells, as in bone
Avascular—therefore, nutrition of cells
depends on diffusion of nutrients through
matrix
Heals slowly after injury because of slow
nutrient transfer to the cells
Perichondrium is membrane that surrounds
cartilage
3. Types of Cartilage
A. Hyaline



Appearance is shiny and translucent
Most prevalent type of cartilage
Located on the ends of articulating bones
B. Fibrocartilage




Strongest and most durable type of cartilage
Matrix is semirigid and filled with strong, white fibers
Found in intervertebral disks and pubic symphysis
Serves as shock-absorbing material between bones at the knee (menisci)
C. Elastic



Contains many fine, elastic fibers
Provides strength and flexibility
Located in external ear and larynx
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4. Blood



A liquid tissue
Contains neither ground substance nor fibers
Composition of whole blood


Liquid fraction (plasma) is the matrix—55% of total blood
volume
Formed elements contribute 45% of total blood volume



Red blood cells, erythrocytes
White blood cells, leukocytes
Platelets, thrombocytes
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4. Blood (cont.)

Functions





Transportation
Regulation of body temperature
Regulation of body pH
White blood cells destroy bacteria
Circulating blood tissue is formed in the red bone
marrow by a process called hematopoiesis; the bloodforming tissue is sometimes called hematopoietic
tissue
III. Muscle Tissue

Types (Table 5-7)
1. Skeletal, or striated voluntary (Figure 5-32)
2. Smooth, or nonstriated involuntary, or visceral
(Figures 5-33 and 5-34)
3.Cardiac, or striated involuntary (Figure 5-35)
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III. Muscle Tissue

Microscopic characteristics
1. Skeletal muscle—threadlike cells with many
cross striations and many nuclei per cell
2. Smooth muscle—elongated, narrow cells, no
cross striations, one nucleus per cell
3. Cardiac muscle—branching cells with
intercalated disks (formed by abutment of plasma
membranes
of two cells)
IV. Nervous Tissue



Functions—rapid regulation and integration
of body activities
Specialized characteristics

Excitability

Conductivity
Organs

Brain

Spinal cord

Nerves
IV. Nervous Tissue

Cell types

Neuron—conducting unit of system
Cell body, or soma
 Processes




Axon (single process)—transmits nerve impulse away
from the cell body
Dendrites (one or more)—transmit nerve impulse toward
the cell body and axon
Neuroglia—special connecting, supporting,
coordinating cells that surround the neurons
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IV. Tissue Repair





Tissues have a varying capacity to repair
themselves; damaged tissue regenerates
or is replaced by scar tissue
Regeneration—growth of new tissue
Scar—dense fibrous mass; unusually thick
scar is a keloid
Epithelial and connective tissues have the
greatest ability to regenerate
Muscle and nervous tissues have a limited
capacity to regenerate
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Body Membranes


Thin tissue layers that cover surfaces,
line cavities, and divide spaces or
organs (Figure 6-39, Table 6-8)
Epithelial membranes are most
common type (Figure 6-40)

Cutaneous membrane (skin)



Primary organ of integumentary system
One of the most important organs
Composes approximately 16% of body
weight
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Body Membranes

Epithelial membranes (cont)

Serous membrane (serosa)




Parietal membranes—line closed body
cavities
Visceral membranes—cover visceral
organs
Pleura—surrounds a lung and lines the
thoracic cavity
Peritoneum—covers the abdominal
viscera and lines the abdominal cavity
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Body Membranes

Epithelial membranes (cont)

Mucous membrane (mucosa)




Lines and protects organs that open to the
exterior of the body
Found lining ducts and passageways of the
respiratory, digestive, and other tracts
Lamina propria—fibrous connective tissue
underlying mucous epithelium
Mucus is made up mostly of water and
mucins—proteoglycans that form a doublelayer of protection against environmental
microbes (Figure 6-41)
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The Big Picture: Tissues,
Membranes, and the Whole Body

Tissues and membranes maintain homeostasis

Epithelial tissues




Form membranes that contain and protect the
internal fluid environment
Absorb nutrients
Secrete products that regulate functions involved in
homeostasis
Connective tissues
•
•
Hold organs and systems together
Form structures that support the body and permit
movement
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The Big Picture: Tissues,
Membranes, and the Whole Body

Tissues and membranes maintain homeostasis

Epithelial tissues




Form membranes that contain and protect the
internal fluid environment
Absorb nutrients
Secrete products that regulate functions involved in
homeostasis
Connective tissues
•
•
Hold organs and systems together
Form structures that support the body and permit
movement
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The Big Picture: Tissues,
Membranes, and the Whole Body

Tissues and membranes maintain
homeostasis (cont)

Muscle tissues


Work with connective tissues to permit
movement
Nervous tissues
•
Work with glandular epithelial tissues to
regulate body function
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