Animal Physiology Flashcards
What is cell differentiation?
The development of cells with specialised structure and function from unspecialised precursor cells
It takes just one week for cell division, differentiation and morphogenesis to occur
What is an amoeba?
A protist that lives in fresh water and moves by amoeboid movement. Many amoebae inhabit the top layer of decaying organic material on the bottom of a pond
What is tissue?
A group of cells with a common structure and function
What are the 4 main categories of tissues?
Epithelium
Connective
Muscle
Nerve
What is epithelial tissue?
A tissue that covers the outside of the body (ie skin or lines an organ or cavity within the body) Epithelial cells are tightly packed and closely joined by structures called tight junctions and anchoring junctions
What are the 3 types of epithelial cell?
Squamous
Cuboidal
Columnar
Describe squamous cells
Squamous epithelium cells are flat cells forming a pavement. They line blood vessels
Describe cuboidal cells
Cube shaped cells. Found linking the kidney - sided ie polar
Describe columnar cells
Cells taller than they are broad. Found in the small intestine
What are the three variants of tissue?
Simple - single layer
Stratified - many layered
Pseudostratified - appears to be multi-layered but isn’t, some cells are shorter than the depth of the epithelium)
Basal side
Closely interacting with other cells
Apical side
This side is exposed to the lumen
What is connective tissue?
Cells sparsely distributed within an extracellular matrix that may be solid, jelly-like, or even liquid
What are the three types of protein fibres found in connective tissue?
Collagen - strong, non-elastic
Elastic - made of elastin
Reticular - thin and highly branched, reticular fibres serve to join connective tissue to adjacent tissues
