UNIT
1
The organisation of the human body
EXAMPLES OF HUMAN TISSUES
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
EPITHELIAL TISSUE
MUSCLE TISSUE
NERVE TISSUE
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
EPITHELIAL TISSUE
Epithelial tissue or epithelium is composed of one
or more layers of cells, arranged next to each other
without any space between them.
This tissue covers the external surface of body,
forming the skin, and lines cavities and tracts such as
the stomach and the intestines.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
EPITHELIAL TISSUE
Cell of
epithelial
tissue
Cell
nucleus
Image of epithelial tissue taken
from an optical microscope.
•
The epithelial cells are arranged in
many layers, which is why it is called
pluristratified epithelial tissue.
•
The nucleus of the cell can be
seen well, as it has been stained a
dark purple colour.
•
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
EPITHELIAL TISSUE
Cell of epithelial
tissue
Cell
nucleus
• Image of epithelial tissue taken
from an optical microscope.
• The epithelial cells are arranged in
two layers, but they are not aligned,
so it is called pseudostratified
epithelial tissue
• The cells are prism-like in shape
and their nuclei have been stained
a dark blue colour.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
EPITHELIAL TISSUE
MUSCLE TISSUE
NERVE TISSUE
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
MUSCLE TISSUE
Muscle tissue is composed of elongated cells, the
muscle fibres. These fibres are contractile, which
means they contract in response to stimuli.
The muscle tissue forms the muscles of the locomotor
system (skeletal muscles), the heart (cardiac muscle
or myocardium) and the walls of some
organs
(smooth muscle).
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
MUSCLE TISSUE
Nuclei of the muscle
fibres
• Image of muscle tissue taken
using an optical microscope.
• We can see a longitudinal
section of skeletal muscle tissue.
• The muscle fibres are elongated,
cylindrical and striated (arranged in
parallel).
• The nuclei of the muscle fibres
are elongated and found along the
sides of the fibres.
Muscle fibres
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
MUSCLE TISSUE
Nuclei of muscle
fibres
• Image of muscle tissue taken
using an optical microscope.
• A cross section of skeletal
muscle tissue can be seen.
• The muscle fibres, cut
transversally, have a blocky
structure.
• The nuclei can be seen around
the sides of each fibre.
Muscle fibre
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
EPITHELIAL TISSUE
MUSCLE TISSUE
NERVE TISSUE
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
NERVE TISSUE
Nerve tissue is made up of neurons, cells capable of
capturing and responding to stimuli, and of controlling the
activity of the organism.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
Neuron
NERVE TISSUE
• Image of nerve tissue taking using
an optical microscope.
• In the image, we can see two
neurons.
Nucleus of
the neuron
• The largest neuron has a
polygonal (or star) form and at the
nucleus is in the centre.
Prolongations
• The body of the neuron has five
prolongations.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
NERVE TISSUE
Neuron
• Image of nerve tissue taken
under an optical microscope.
• In the image, we can see two
Nucleus of
the neuron
neurons.
• The bodies of the neurons have
Prolongations
a polygonal form with the nuclei
at the centre.
• The prolongations of these
neurons are very long.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
EPITHELIAL TISSUE
MUSCLE TISSUE
NERVE TISSUE
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Connective tissue is composed of cells separated by an
intercellular substance called the matrix. Their function
in the body is to connect and support.
There are various types of connective tissue:
conjunctive tissue, cartilaginous tissue, adipose
tissue, bone tissue and blood tissue.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
CONJUNCTIVE CARTILAGINOUS
ADIPOSE
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
BONE
BLOOD
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
CONJUNCTIVE TISSUE
Conjunctive tissue is a type of connective tissue which
joins the other tissues together.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
CONJUNCTIVE TISSUE
Liver cells
• Image of conjunctive tissue
taken using an optical microscope
• The dark round points are the
liver cells.
• The lines are fibres, which form a
network that provides support to
the organ, in this case the liver.
Fibres
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
CONJUNCTIVE CARTILAGINOUS
ADIPOSE
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
BONE
BLOOD
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
CARTILAGINOUS TISSUE
This is a type of connective tissue which forms part of
the skeleton and provides support to the soft parts of the
body.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
Matrix of the
cartilaginous tissue
CARTILAGINOUS TISSUE
• Image of cartilaginous tissue
from the trachea, taken using
an optical microscope.
• The light blue colour
(background) is to the
intercellular matrix which
surrounds the cells of the
cartilaginous tissue, which are
called chondrocytes.
• The chondrocytes have been
stained a dark blue colour.
Chondrocytes
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
CONJUNCTIVE CARTILAGINOUS
ADIPOSE
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
BONE
BLOOD
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
ADIPOSE TISSUE
Adipose tissue is a type of connective tissue that makes
up the organism’s greatest energy reserve and provides
thermal insulation. It is found under the skin.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
Adipose tissue
cell
ADIPOSE TISSUE
Lipid droplet
• Image of adipose tissue taking
using an optical microscope.
• This is an example of white
adipose tissue.
• The cells that form this tissue are
round in shape.
• The cells have a single lipid
droplet, which is so large that it
occupies almost the entire cell.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
ADIPOSE TISSUE
Adipose tissue
cell
• Image of adipose tissue taken
using an optical microscope.
Lipid droplets
• This is an example of brown
adipose tissue, which is scarce in
human beings and typical in animals
that hibernate.
Cell nucleus
• The cells that make up this tissue
are polygonal in shape.
• Unlike white adipose tissue, the
cells of this tissue contain many
lipid droplets.
• The nucleus is found on one
side of the cell.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
CONJUNCTIVE CARTILAGINOUS
ADIPOSE
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
BONE
BLOOD
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
BONE TISSUE
Bone tissue is a type of connective tissue that
provides support to the organism and protects the
vital organs.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
BONE TISSUE
Osteon
• Image of bone tissue taken using
an optical microscope.
• In the centre of the image, two
structures called osteons can be
seen.
• The osteons are concentric
layers of bone tissues surrounding
a central channel.
Central channel
of the osteon
• In the osteons, we can see black
Black spots
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
spots, which are the spaces
containing the bone cells.
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
CONJUNCTIVE CARTILAGINOUS
ADIPOSE
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
BONE
BLOOD
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
BLOOD TISSUE
In this type of connective tissue the liquid matrix is called
plasma.
Suspended in the plasma are the blood cells (the red
blood cells, white blood cells and platelets).
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
Blood plasma
BLOOD TISSUE
• Photograph of a sample of
White blood cells
human blood taken using an
optical microscope.
• The liquid matrix, in this case
the plasma, surroundins the cells.
• The majority of blood tissue is
made up of red blood cells.
• In the image, we can also see
white blood cells, which have
been stained purple.
Red blood cells
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
Red blood
cell
BLOOD TISSUE
• Previous image seen in greater
magnification.
White blood cell
• When the image is enlarged, we
can the cells of this tissue in more
detail:
Nucleus
- The red blood cells are
disc-like in shape and do not
have nuclei.
- The nuclei of the white blood
cells are brightly coloured
purple. This nucleus has a very
strange shape with small lobes
attached to each other.
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
CONJUNCTIVE CARTILAGINOUS
ADIPOSE
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education
BONE
BLOOD
UNIT
UNIDAD
1
3
Examples of human tissues
EPITHELIAL TISSUE
MUSCLE TISSUE
NERVE TISSUE
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Biology and Geology 3. Secondary Education