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Laboratory Activity 6 – ANIMAL TISSUES

INTRODUCTION

A tissue is a group of similar cells (together with associated cell products) specialized for performance of
a common function. The study of tissues is called histology (Gr. histos, tissue, logos, discourse) or
microanatomy. All cells in metazoan animals form tissues. Sometimes cells of a tissue may be of several
kinds, and some tissues have much extracellular material (ECM).

During embryonic development, the germ layers become differentiated into four kinds of tissues. These
are epithelial, connective, muscular, and nervous tissues. This is a surprisingly short list of only four basic
tissue types that are able to meet the diverse requirements of animal life.

OBJECTIVES
1. To define the major functions of each of the animal tissue, and
2. To define the major functions of each of the animal tissue, and
3. To draw and label the different animal tissues.
MATERIALS
Compound Microscope
Animal Tissue Specimens

CONTENT

The Four Types of Animal Tissues

EPITHELIAL TISSUE
 This tissue forms the protective covering and inner linings of the body and organs
 They develop from the ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm
 Functions for protection, secretion, absorption, and filtration
 In some animals, it is responsible in secreting the hard, chitinous exoskeleton of insects or the shells
of mollusks like clams and snails.
 The tissue is made of tightly packed cells supported by an underlying basement membrane.
 The tissues have the power to regenerate.
 Different types of epithelial tissues are identified according to:
o Number of cell layers:
 Simple – cells are only in one layer
 Stratified – cells are stacked in more than one layer
 Pseudostratified – cells appear to have more than once layer, but actually is just one layer
with different-sized cells overlapping each other (“pseudo” = fake).
o Shape of the epithelial cell:
 Squamous – flat, polyhedral cells with a nucleus at the center
 Cuboidal – cells with almost equal height from width with a nucleus at the center
 Columnar – cells which are taller than wide with a nucleus at the lower region

o To name a type of epithelial tissue, you based it on the number of layers and the shape of
the cell, so if a tissue is called Simple squamous epithelium, it means the epithelial tissue is
made of a single layer of flat cells.
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
 This tissue supports and bind other organs and tissues together, preventing organs form mechanical
shocks, and also helps repair other tissues.
 Develops from the mesoderm
 It has less cells (called fibrocytes), and has more fibers (collagen fiber, elastic fiber, and/or reticular
fiber) and a fluid-like or gel-like solution called the extracellular matrix.
 The different types of connective tissues are identified by their extracellular matrix and type of fibers
present:
o Dense Connective Tissue
 Has more fibers and less extracellular matrix
 The fibers are arranged tightly together,
making the connective tissue thick (dense)
 Dense Irregular CT = if the fibers are arranged
in random patterns
 Dense Regular CT = if the fibers are arranged in
regular pattern
 Bone, cartilage, tendon, and ligament are a
special types of dense connective tissue
o Loose Connective Tissue
 Has more extracellular matrix than fibers
 Most widely distributed CT
 Areolar connective tissue is a tough and
flexible tissue that is the most abundant form
of connective tissue in vertebrate organisms.
 Fat (adipose) is also a type of loose connective
tissue which helps insulate the body. This
tissue is also called adipose tissue.
Microscopically, it appears like large round oil
drops.
 Blood is a special type of loose connective
tissue, which has an extracellular matrix made
primarily of fluid in the form of plasma. The
fibers in the blood tissue only appear during
clotting.

MUSCLE TISSUE
 This tissue helps in movement and locomotion, supports bones and other structures, as well as
responsible for the movement of your intestines (called peristalsis) and contractions of the uterus.
 Develops from the mesoderm
 It is made up of cells that are elongated and spindle-shaped called myocyte. They contain contractile
filaments (muscle fibers) which can lengthen or shorten.
 Contractions of the muscle fibers may be voluntary (under conscious control) or involuntary (not
under conscious control).
  There are 3 types of muscle tissue:
o Smooth Muscle
 Found in the walls of tubular organs like in the intestines, and even in organs like the stomach,
urinary bladder, and uterus
 Contractions are involuntary
 The muscle cells are fusiform or spindle-shaped (slender with tapering ends) and it has a single
nucleus (uninucleated) found in the center of the cell
o Cardiac Muscle
 Responsible for the uniform contractions of the heart
 Contractions are involuntary
 The muscle cell (cardiomyocyte) is similar to skeletal muscle cells in that it is elongated and
has cross-striations. The difference is that cardiac muscle cells are branched and only has one
nucleus (uninucleated) found in the center of the cell.
o Skeletal Muscle
 Attached to the bones, which pulls the bone when it contracts
 Contractions are voluntary
 The muscle cells are elongated and cylindrical with many cross-striations (parallel lines) which
are actually the muscle fibers. It has many nuclei (multinucleated) found peripherally (at the
edges).

NERVOUS TISSUE
 This tissue makes up the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. It possesses the
ability to initiate and transmit information through nerve impulses.
 Develops from the ectoderm
 The tissue is made up of nerve cells (or neurons) which is composed of:
o Cell body / Soma – the large central area which contains a single nucleus
o Processes – extensions of the cell body. There are 2 types:
 Axon (Nerve fiber) – a single long, cylindrical process that transmit impulses to other
neurons.
 Telodendron – small terminal branches at the end of an axon
 The axon is wrapped several times by a myelin sheath, which increases the rate of
 electrical conduction.
 The myelin sheath discontinues several times, so that electrical impulses jump to one
myelin sheath to the next (known as saltatory conduction)
 Dendrites – a highly branched, tree-like processes designed to receive impulses from other
neurons.

 The nervous tissue also has non-neuronal cells called neuroglia or neuroglial cells, which are
cells that insulate neuron membranes and processes and serve various supportive function to
the neurons
PROCEDURE:

1. Borrow the prepared slides of the different animal tissues and view them under LPO and HPO.
2. Illustrate the different types of animal tissues.
3. Do not forget to label the important details of the cells visible in the microscope.
4. Write down your observations about the different animal tissues

EPITHELIAL TISSUE

Simple Squamous Epithelium Simple Cuboidal Epithelium

Location: Location:

Simple Columnar Epithelium Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelium

Location: Location:
 Stratified Squamous Epithelium Stratified Cuboidal Epithelium
Location: Location:

Stratified Columnar Epithelium

Location:
 CONNECTIVE TISSUE

Dense Regular - Tendon Dense Regular - Cartilage

Dense Irregular – Dermis of the Skin Bone Tissue

Loose Connective Tissue – Areolar CT Adipose Tissue

 Blood Tissue
MUSCLE TISSUE

Smooth Muscle Cardiac Muscle

Skeletal Muscle
 NERVOUS TISSUE
(Draw a typical neuron and label the parts)

Neuron

CONCLUSION

QUESTIONS:
1. What are the general characteristics of epithelial tissue?

2. How does connective tissue differ from epithelial tissue?

3. In a table format, differentiate the three types of muscle tissues.

4. What is the importance of the neuroglial cells in the nervous tissues?