Tissues

Mary Winrose B. Tia, RN, MANc

Chapter contents
• Tissues and Histology
• Epithelial tissue
• Connective tissue
• Muscle tissue
• Nervous tissue
• tissue membranes
• Tissue damage and inflammation
• Tissue repair
Learning Objectives
After the discussion, students will be able to:
• Describe the general makeup of a tissue
• List and explain the general characteristics of all tissue types and
describe each classification of tissues
• List the structural and funstional characteristics of tissue membranes
• Describe the process of inflammation in response to tissue daage, and
explain how inflammation protects the body
Tissues and Histology
• Tissue
-is a group of cells with similar structure and function that have similar
extracellular substances located between them. The microscopic study of
tissue structure is called histology (histo-, tissue + -ology, study)
- the structure of each tissue type is related to its function, and the
structure of the tissues in an organ is related to the organ's function.
• Four Basic tissue types are: epithelial, connective, mucle and nervous
Epithelial Tissue
Epithelium
-also known as epithelial
tissue
-covers external and internal
surfaces throughout the body
-outer layer of skin, liing of
cavities such as digestive
tract, airways and blood
vessels
-free surface and basal
surface
Epithelial Tissue - Functions
The Major functios of epithelia are:
1. Protecting underlying structures - skin, oral cavity
2. Acting as a barrier - skin act as a barrier to water
3. Permitting the passage of substances - O2 and CO2 exchange in the
epithelium in the lungs
4. Secreting substances - sweat glands, mucous glands and enzyme-
secreting portion of the pancreas
5. Absorbing substances - absorb digested food molecules in the
intestines
Epithelial Tissue - Classification
• Epethelia are classified
according to the number of cell
layers and shape of the cells.
Epithelial Tissue - Classification
Layer categories Shape Categories:
• Simple epithelium • squamous - flat
-single layer of cells • cuboidal - cubelike
• Stratified epithelium • columnar - tall and thin
-more than one layer, sitting on top
of others
Epithelial Tissue - Classification
Epithelial Tissue - Classification
Epithelial Tissue - Classification
Epithelial Tissue - Classification
Epithelial Tissue - Classification
Epithelial Tissue - Classification
 Epithelial Tissue - cell connections
• Epethilial cells are connected to
one another in several ways
• Tight junctions - bind adjacent cells
together to prevent the passage of
materials
• Desmosomes - are mechanical links
that bind cells to the basement
membrane
• Gap Junctions - small channels that
allow small molecules d ions to
pass
 Epithelial Tissue - Glands
• Gland - is a structure that secretes
substances
• Exocrine - glands with ducts (separate
outside)
• Exocrine glands can be simple (no
branches), compound (with branches)
• merocrine secretion - sweat and
digestive enzymes
• apocrine secretion - milk secretions
• Holocrine secretion - sebaceous (oil)
glands
Epithelial Tissue - Glands
Connective Tissues
• Connective tissue is found throughout the body.
• It is usually char acterized by large amounts of extracellular material
that separates cells from one another. The extracellular material, or
extracellular matrix, has three major components:
(1) protein fibers,
(2) ground substance consisting of nonfibrous protein and other
molecules, and
(3) fluid.
Connective Tissues
• Three types of protein fibers in connective tissues:
1. Collagen fibers -which resemble microscopic ropes, are flexible but
resist stretching.
2. Reticular fibers - are very fine, short collagen fibers that branch to
form a supporting network.
3. Elastic fibers - have a structure similar to that of coiled metal bed
springs; after being stretched, they can recoil to their original shape.
Connective Tissues
• Functions of connective tissues:
1. Enclosing and separating other tissues -form capsules around organ
2. Connecting tissues to one another - tendons, ligaments
3. Supporting and moving parts of the body - bones
4. Storing compounds - adipose tissue stores high energy
5. Cushioning and insulating - adipose tissue
6. Transporting - blood
7. Protecting - cells of immune system
Connective Tissues - Classification
Connective Tissues - Classification
Connective Tissues - Classification
Connective Tissues - Classification
Connective Tissues - Classification
Connective Tissues - Classification
Connective Tissues - Supporting CT
• Cartilage is composed of chondrocytes or cartilage cells, located in
spaces called lacunae (small spaces) within an extensive matrix
• Collagen in the matrix gives cartilage flexibility and strength.
Cartilage is resilient because the proteoglycans of the matrix trap
water, which makes the cartilage relatively rigid and enables it to
spring back after being compressed.
• Cartilage provides support, but if bent or slightly compressed, it
resumes its original shape.
• Cartilage heals slowly after an injury because blood vessels do not
penetrate it. Thus, the cells and nutrients necessary for tissue repair
do not easily reach the damaged area.
• Three types: Hyaline, Fibrocartilage and Elastic Cartilage
Connective Tissues - Supporting CT
Connective Tissues - Supporting CT
Connective Tissues - Supporting CT
Connective Tissues - Bone
• Bone is a hard connective tissue that consists of living cells and a
mineralized matrix.
• Osteocytes (osteo, bone), or bone cells, are located within lacunae.
Connective Tissues - Blood
Muscle Tissue
• Muscle tissue - main characteristic is its ability to contract, or shorten,
making movement
• Muscle contraction results from contractile proteins located within
the muscle cells.
• The length of muscle cells is greater than the diameter.
• Muscle cells are sometimes called muscle fibers because they often
resemble tiny threads.
Muscle Tissue - Skeletal
Muscle Tissue - Cardiac
Muscle Tissue - Smooth
Nervous Tissue
Serous Membranes
Tissue Damage and Inflammation
Tissue Damage and Inflammation
• Edema - or swelling, of the tissues results when water, proteins,
and other substances from the blood move into the tissues. One
of the proteins, fibrin, forms a fibrous network that “walls off”
the site of injury from the rest of the body. This mechanism can
help prevent the spread of infectious agents.
• One type of blood cell that enters the tissues is the neutrophil, a
phagocytic white blood cell that fights infections by ingesting
bacteria. Neutrophils die after ingesting a small number of
bacteria; the mixture of dead neutrophils, other cells, and fluid
that can accumulate is called pus.
Tissue Damage and Inflammation
Pain associated with inflammation is produced in several
ways. Nerve cell endings are stimulated by direct damage and by
some chemical mediators to produce pain sensations. In addition,
the increased pressure in the tissue caused by edema and pus
accumulation can cause pain.

Pain, limitation of movement resulting from edema, and

tissue destruction all contribute to the disturbance of function,
which can be adaptive because it warns the person to protect the
injured area from further damage.
Tissue Repair