Chapter 2

Structure of Cells and

Organelles

2.3 Specialised Cells

 Specialised Animal Cells
 Classified into four types:
epithelial tissue
nervous tissue
muscle tissue
connective tissue
Epithelial Tissue
 Nervous Tissue
 A group of nerve
cells (neurons)
together with
neuroglia
(supporting cells)
 Transmit electro-
chemical message
(impulse) along
their membrane
Nervous Tissue
 Nervous Tissue -
Neuron's Structure
 Neuron consists of two parts, the cell body
and and the nerve process.
 Cell body
Different shapes, depends on the types of
neuron
Surrounded by a plasma membrane
Contains a nucleus, a lot mitochondria, Golgi
apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes
but no centriole
Nervous Tissue -
Neuron's Structure
 Nervous Tissue -
Neuron's Structure
 Nerve process
the thin slender structure attached to the cell
body
Includes axon, dendron and dendrites.
Dendrites: typically short, highly branched
processes specialised to receive stimuli and
send signals to the cell body. The body
integrates incoming signals
 Nervous Tissue -
Neuron's Structure
 Nerve process
Dendron: transmits impusle towards the cell
body
Axon: transmits impulse away from the cell
body to another neuron or to a muscle or
gland.
The length of axon varies. It can be very long,
over a metre in our body. It may divide,
forming branches called axon collaterals.
 Nervous Tissue -
Neuron's Structure
 Nerve process
At its end, the axon divides, forming many
terminal branches that end in synaptic
terminals.
Synaptic terminals: release neurotransmitter
(chemicals that transmits signal from one
neuron to another or from a neuron to an
effector).
Synapse: junction between a synaptic
terminal and another neuron (or effector)
 Nervous Tissue -
Neuron's Structure
 Nerve process
In vertebrates, the axons of many neurons
outside the CNS are surrounded by a series
of Schwann cells.
The axon is protected by myelin sheath.
Nodes of Ranvier: gaps in the myelin sheath,
occur between successive Schwann cells.
At these points, the axon is not insulated with
myelin.
Nervous Tissue
Nervous Tissue - Sensory neurons
 afferent neurons
 transmits impulse
from the receptor
to the central
nervous system
(CNS).
Nervous Tissue - Motor neurons
 efferent neurons
 transmits impulse
from the central
nervous system
(CNS) to the
effector (muscle or
gland).
 Nervous Tissue - Interneurons
 found in the brain or
spinal cord
 receives impulse from the
sensory neuron and
transmits it to the motor
neuron.
 some can generate
impulse and other
transmit impulse from one
to the other.
 varies in shapes, bipolar
and multipolar with one or
more dendrons or axons.
 Muscle Tissue
 A group of cells or multinucleated syncytial
tissue that can contract.
 Divided into three types:
 Muscle Tissue -
Skeletal Muscle
 Also known as striated muscle
 Muscle Tissue -
Skeletal Muscle
 Voluntary muscle
 Consists of a bundle of
muscle fibres attached to
the bone by tendons at its
two ends
 Contraction of skeletal
muscle produces
movement of the bone at
the joint and so is certain
part of the body
 Muscle Tissue -
Skeletal Muscle
 Each fibre is supplied with a motor nerve
through a special neuro-muscular synapse
called end plate.
 Contraction is a result if impulse sent to
the muscle fibre. It is under our conscious
control. Each fibre consists of many
myofibrils.
 Muscle Tissue -
Skeletal Muscle
 Within each myofibril, there is an alternating dark
and light band that produces striations seen
under light microscope.
 Muscle Tissue -
Skeletal Muscle
 Dark band (A band) consists of thick myosin
filaments supported in the centre by M
membrane
 Muscle Tissue -
Skeletal Muscle
 Light band (I band) consists of thin actin
filaments supported in the centre by Z
membrane.
 Muscle Tissue -
Skeletal Muscle
 The whole myofibril may be considered as
containing many units called sacromere.
 Muscle Tissue -
Cardiac Muscle
 Only found in the heart
 Muscle Tissue -
Cardiac Muscle
 Striated, consists of fibres and myofibrils
as in striated muscle but differ in many
ways
 Consists of individual cells not syncytical
tissue
 Each of the individuals cells is separated
from its adjacent ones by intercalated
discs, so that excitation can be transmitted
effectively
 Muscle Tissue -
Cardiac Muscle
 Cardiac fibre is not supplied with nerve
from motor neuron as it does not require
impulse from the brain before it can
contract
 The muscle is myogenic. It has its own
pacemaker to generate excitation that is
transmitted across fibres before they
contract.
 Muscle Tissue -
Smooth Muscle
 found in the alimentary canal, dermis,
uterus, artery and trachea
 Muscle Tissue -
Smooth Muscle
 Known as involuntary muscle (not under
our conscious control but it is controlled by
the autonomic nervous system)
 arranged in strands or layers
 not branched or attached to the bone
 made up of individual cells, each has its
own nucleus and plasma membrane
 Muscle Tissue -
Smooth Muscle
 Has no striation, as its myofibrils do not
align themselves so orderly with thick and
thin filaments forming bands
 It is supplied with nerve from the visceral
motor neuron (a part of the of autonomic
nervous system)
 The muscle can contract ryhthmically like
peristalsis and produces waves of
contraction.
 Connective Tissue
 Loose Connective Tissues
 Connective Tissue
 Loose Connective Tissues
 Main locations
Everywhere that support must be combined
with elasticity, such as subcutaneous tissue
(the layer of tissue beneath the dermis of the
skin)
 Functions
Support, reservoir for fluid and salts
 Connective Tissue
 Dense Connective Tissues
 Connective Tissue
 Dense Connective Tissues
 Main locations
Tendons, many ligaments, dermis of skin
 Functions
Support, transmits mechanical forces
 Connective Tissue
 Elastic Connective Tissues
 Connective Tissue
 Elastic Connective Tissues
 Main locations
Structures that must both expand and return
to their original size, such as lung tissue and
large arteries
 Functions
Confers elasticity
 Connective Tissue
 Reticular Connective Tissues
 Connective Tissue
 Reticular Connective Tissues
 Main locations
Framework of liver, lymph nodes, spleen
 Functions
Support
 Connective Tissue
 Adipose Tissues
 Connective Tissue
 Adipose Tissues
 Main locations
Subcutaneous layer, pads around certain
internal organ
 Functions
Food storage, insulation, supports organ such
as mammary glands, kidneys
 Connective Tissue
 Cartilage
 Connective Tissue
 Cartilage
 Main locations
Supporting skeletons in shark and rays, end
of bones in mammals and some other
vertebrates, supporting rings in walls of some
respiratory tubes, tip of nose, external ear
 Functions
Flexible support
 Connective Tissue
 Bone
 Connective Tissue
 Bone
 Main locations
Form skeletal structure in most vertebrates
 Functions
Supports and protects internal organs,
calcium reservoir, skeletal muscles attach to
bones
 Connective Tissue
 Blood
 Connective Tissue
 Blood
 Main locations
Within heart and blood vessels of circulatory
system
 Functions
Transports oxygen, nutrients, wastes and
other material