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Chapter 4: Histology
Histology: microscopic study of tissue appearance, organization, and function
Types of Tissue
- Epithelial: sheet of cells that cover exterior surfaces of the body, lines internal cavities, and
passageways, and forms certain glands.
o Function: protection, selective permeability/absorption, secretion, sensation
o General Characteristics:
o Attachment between epithelial cells
Tight Junction
Gap Junction
Desmosome
Adhering Junction
- Connective: binds the cells and organs of the body together
- Muscle: tissue capable of responding to stimulation and contracting to provide movement
- Nervous: tissue capable of propagating electrochemical signals in the form of nerve
impulses to communicate with different regions of the body
Types of Glands: organs throughout the body that produce and secrete substances (hormones, saliva,
mucin, enzymes, waste) to perform certain functions
Epithelial Tissues
Connective Tissues
- Blood
o Location: within blood vessels and the heart
o Structure and Function: contains erythrocytes (transport gases), leukocytes
(immune response), platelets (blood clotting), and plasma matrix (transports
nutrients, waste, and hormones)
Bone Tissue
- Compact Bone
o Location: exterior of bones in the body
o Structure: calcified matrix arranged in osteons (concentric rings of lamellae)
o Function: provides support, protects internal organs, provides levers for movement,
stores minerals (calcium)
- Hyaline Cartilage
o Location: most of fetal skeleton, articular ends of long bones
o Structure: chondrocytes in lacunae
o Function: model for bone growth, provides smooth surface for movement at joints
- Fibrocartilage
o Location: intervertebral discs, pubic symphysis, menisci of knee joint
o Structure: parallel collagen fibers, chondrocytes in lacunae
o Function: resists compression, absorbs shock in some joints
- Elastic Cartilage
o Location: external ear
o Structure: abundant elastic fibers (branching), chondrocytes in lacunae
o Function: provides structure while allowing for flexibility
Muscle Tissues
- Smooth Muscle
o Location: walls of hollow internal organs, airways, stomach, bladder, uterus
o Structure: spindle shaped muscle fibers, central nucleus
o Function: involuntary movement, moves material through internal organs
- Skeletal Muscle
o Location: attaches to bone or sometimes skin
o Structure: long muscle fibers – cylindrical and unbranched, striations
o Function: voluntary movement, moves skeleton, locomotion
- Cardiac Muscle
o Location: the heart
o Structure: muscle fiber – short and branched, striations, intercalated discs
o Function: involuntary contraction and relaxation of heart, pumps blood
Nervous Tissue
- Nervous Tissue
o Location: brain and spinal cord
o Structure: neuron, soma, axon, dendrites, neuroglia (glial cells)
o Function: communication between tissues