TISSUE TYPES IN THE
HUMAN BODY
TYPES OF TISSUES
 Tissues
are groups of cells with a
common structure (form) and function
(job).
 Four Main Tissues in the Body:
Epithelium
Connective tissue
Nervous tissue
Muscle tissue
EPITHELIAL TISSUE FUNCTIONS
4
Major functions:
Protection from the outside world
(skin)
Absorption (stomach and intestinal
lining of the gut)
Filtration (kidney)
Secretions (gland formations)
CHARACTERISTICS OF EPITHELIUM
 Closely
attached to each other
forming a protective barrier.
 Always has one free (apical) surface
open to outside the body or inside
(cavity) an internal organ.
 Always had one fixed (basal) section
attached to underlying connective
tissue.
CHARACTERISTICS OF EPITHELIUM
 Has
no blood vessels but can soak up
nutrients from blood vessels in
connective tissue underneath.
 Can have lots of nerves in it
(innervated)
 Very good at regenerating (fixing
itself)
i.e. sunburn, skinned knee, etc.
EPITHELIAL CLASSIFICATION
By Shape
 Squamous – flat and scale-like
 Cuboidal – as tall as they are wide
 Columnar – tall, column-shaped
 By Cell Arrangement
 Simple Epithelium – single layer of cells
(usually for absorption and filtration)
 Stratified Epithelium – stacked in layers
(protection from abrasion (rubbing) – mouth,
skin)

EPITHELIAL TISSUES
CONNECTIVE TISSUE FUNCTIONS
 Wraps
around to cushion and protect
organs.
 Stores nutrients
 Internal support for organs
 As tendon and ligaments protects joints
and attached muscles to bone and each
other.
 Runs through organ capsules and in deep
layers of skin providing strength
ELEMENTS OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Ground
substance – gel around
cells and fibers
Fibers – provide strength,
elasticity, and support
Cells
KINDS OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Loose
Connective Tissue
Dense
Connective Tissue
Special
Connective Tissue
LOOSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Areolar Connective Tissue – cushion around
organs, loose arrangement of cells and fibers.
 Adipose Tissue – Storehouse for nutrients,
packed with cells and blood vessels.
 Reticular Connective Tissue – internal
supporting framework of some organs, delicate
network of fibers and cells.

DENSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE
 Dense
Regular Connective Tissue –
tendons and ligaments, regularly arranged
bundles packed with fibers running same
way for strength in one direction.
 Dense Irregular Connective Tissue – skin,
organ capsules, irregularly arranged
bundles packed with fibers for strength in
all directions.
SPECIAL CONNECTIVE TISSUES CARTILAGE
 Functions:
Provides
strength with flexibility while
resisting water, i.e. epiglottis, external
ear, larynx.
Cushions
and absorbs shock where
bones meet i.e. intervertebral discs,
joint capsules.
SPECIAL CONNECTIVE TISSUES –
BONE
Functions:
Provides
framework and
strength for body.
Allows movement.
Stores calcium (Ca)
Contains blood-forming cells.
SPECIAL CONNECTIVE TISSUES –
BLOOD
Functions:
Transports
oxygen (O), carbon
dioxide (CO2), and nutrients
around the body.
Provides medium for immune
response.
CONNECTIVE TISSUES
NERVOUS TISSUES
 Functions:
Conducts
impulses to and from
body organs via neurons.
 Elements of Nervous Tissue:
Brain
Spinal Cord
Nerves
NERVOUS TISSUE
MUSCLE TISSUE FUNCTIONS
Responsible
for body movement.
Moves blood, food, waste through
body’s organs.
Responsible for mechanical
digestion
i.e. chewing,
tearing of food particles.
TYPES OF MUSCLE TISSUES
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.

MUSCLE TISSUE