ANIMAL TISSUES

SMA
• Levels of organization
• Definition of tissue
• Characteristics, functions and
classification of 4 types of animal tissues
 Epithelial tissues
 Connective tissue
 Muscle tissue
 Nerve tissue
Tissue is a group of similar cells that
perform a specific function.
 A. Epithelial Tissue
Epithelial tissue covers body surfaces and
cavities.
Characteristics;
 Cellularity (composed of cell)
 Polarity (top and bottom are different)
 Attachment (bound to basal lamina)
 Avascularity (has no blood vessels)
 Rapid regeneration (renews itself quickly)
Functions;
 Provides physical protection
 Controls permeability
 Provides sensation
 Produces secretions
Types of epithelial tissues in human body
a) Single-layered flat epithelium
Found in the lining of heart and blood
vessels, in the lungs and in kidneys (glomeruli).
Performs absorption, filtration, secretion and
reduces friction.
b) Multi-layered flat epithelium
Keratinized is found in the skin surface,
Non-keratinized type is found in the lining of
mouth, throat and anus.
Provides protection.
c) Single-layered cuboidal epithelium
Found in glands, ducts and kidney tubules.
Does secretion and absorption.
d) Multi-layered cuboidal epithelium
Found in some ducts and glands.
Does secretion and protection.
e) Transitional epithelium
Found in urinary bladder and uretes.
Allows expansion and recoiling.
f) Single-layered cylindrical epithelium
Found in the lining of stomach, intestines,
and uterine tubes.
Functions are secretion, absorption and
protection.
g) Multi-layered cylindrical epithelium
Found in throat, anus, salivary glands and
urethra.
Provides protection and does secretion.
The rarest type of epithelium.
h) Ciliated cylindrical epithelium
Found in lining of the respiratory tract and
reproductive tracts.
Provides protection, secretes and moves
mucus.
h) Gland epithelium
* Found all aroud the body
* Secretes sweat, tear, milk, mucus, enzymes and
hormones
* Two types;
 endocrine glands secrete hormones directly
into blood
 exocrine glands secrete enzymes into ducts.
B. Connective Tissues
1. Characteristics:
• Developed from mesenchyme/mesoderm.
• Mostly made of non-living material.
 2. Functions of connective tissues:
• Support and interconnect other types of tissues
• Form a structural framework for the body.
• Transport fluids and dissolved materials.
• Protect delicate organs.
• Store energy.
• Defend the body from pathogens.
 3. Structure of Connective Tissues
Connective tissue is made of specialised cells and the
intercellular substance produced by these cells.
a. Cells
* Fibroblasts: are fibrous shaped cells that secrete fibers
and the ground substance.
 * Macrophages: are phagocytotic defence cells. They
engulf and digest microorganisms and dead cells. They move
around the body.
 * Mast cells: are defence cells which produce heparin and
histamine.
Heparin prevents coagulation of blood inside blood
vessels.
Histamine causes inflammation.
 * Plasma cells: are defence cells that produce
antibodies to kill pathogens.
 * Adipose cells: are large cells storing
lipids/fats.
* Pigment cells: produce melanin pigment.
 b. Intercellular substance
This is the material surrounding cells in
connective tissue.
It is made of fibers (collagen, elastin and
reticular) and ground substance.
• Collagen fibers: are strong, straight and not flexible. They
form bundles.
• Elastin fibers: are flexible. They can stretch and recoil.
• Reticular fibers: are thinner collagen fibers. They form
branched network to support various tissues.
• Ground substance: is a jelly-like half liquid material. It
fills the space between cells, holds water and acts as shock
absorber.
1. Connective Tissue Proper
a. Loose connective tissue (areolar)
The most common type of C.T.
Found under epithelium tissue, and around blood
vessels and nerve fibers.
Holds organs in place, attaches tissues to other tissues
and allows movement of nutrients and wastes.
b. Dense connective tissue
Contains many thick collagen fibers and few cells. It is
not elastic.
Found in skin dermis, brain cortex, ligaments and
tendons.
Connects organs to other organs.
c. Elastic connective tissue
This is a dense connective tissue with many elastic
fibers. It is elastic.
Found in large arteries, bronci and some ligaments.
Allows recoil of tissues after stretcing.
d. Adipose (fat) tissue
Mostly made of adipose cells and few fibers.
Found under skin, around joints and some internal
organs.
Stores lipids as energy resource, cushions organs for
protection and insulates the body to reduce heat loss.
2. Cartilage Tissue
Made of chondrocytes in lacuna and ground substance
with plenty of collagen fibers. It doesn’t contain blood
vessels and nerves.
a. Hyaline cartilage: is the most common type,
bluish-white transparent in color, with many collagen fibers.
Provides support at the ribs, nose, trachea, tips of long
bones and in embryo.
 b. Elastic cartilage: yellow and flexible, has more
elastic fibers.
Provides elasticity and strength in external ear,
epiglottis and larynx.

c. Fibrocartilage: grey and the strongest, has thick

collagen fibers.
Provides support at vertebrea joints.
3. Bone Tissue
This is hard, strong and calcified connective tissue.
Its intercellular substance contains many collagen
fibers, little water and large amount of inorganic salts.
It supports and protects the body.
There are 4 types of cells in the bone tissue;
* Osteogenic cells are precursors of osteoblasts.
* Osteoblasts are bone-forming cells,
secrete ground substance of bone tissue,
are found in growing parts of bones.
* Osteocytes are the bone cells in developed bones,
maintain Ca++ balance of the body.
* Osteoclasts are bone- dissolving cells.
 There are 2 types of bone tissues;
Spongy bone tissue is porous. It stores bone marrow in
long bones. It is found inside most bones.
Compact bone tissue is dense and strong. It stores Ca++.
It is found in external layers of bones.
4. Blood Tissue
This is a fluid tissue. It consists of cells and liquid
intercellular substance (blood plasma). It has no fibers.
 There are 3 main types of cells in blood tissue;
* Erythrocytes disk-shaped, red cells. They transport
O2.
* Leukocytes protect the body against pathogens.
* Thrombocytes are small cell fragments. They help in
blood clotting.
C. Muscle Tissues
Characteristics:
• Developed from mesoderm.
• Made of 3 types of muscle cells containing actin and
myosin fibers.
 Muscle tissue contracts (shortens) and relaxes
(lengthens) to move body parts.
D. Nerve Tissues
This tissue is made of nerve cells (neurones) and
supportive glial cells.
Functions of nervous tissue are to receive stimuli, to
transmit impulses and to control activities of muscles
and glands.