Levels of Organisation Flashcards
Describe epithelial tissue?
Forms a layer that covers or lines internal/external surfaces
Has no blood vessels or nerve endings
Where are ciliated epithelium found?
They are found lining tubes that substances move through such as the oviduct and trachea.
Where are squamous epithelium found?
They form the walls of the alveoli and line the Bowman’s capsule of the nephron
Describe the structure of striated muscle
It is attached to bones and it has bands of long cells, or fibres. You can see a stripe on them under the microscope.
Describe smooth muscle
Has individual spindle-shaped cells that can contract rhythmically. They do not have stripes under a microscope so they are called unstriped/unstriated.
State some functions of smooth muscle
They occur in the skin, in the walls of blood vessels and in the digestive and respiratory tracts.
Describe the structure of cardiac muscle
The cells have stripes but lack the long fibres of skeletal muscle.
Why is cardiac muscle suitable for use in the heart?
It contracts rhythmically, without any stimulation from nerves or hormones, although these can modify their contraction. Furthermore, cardiac muscle does not tire.
Describe connective tissue
It contains elastic collagen fibres in an extra cellular fluid or matrix. Between the fibres are fat-storing cells of the immune system.
What is the function of connective tissue?
It supports or separates tissues and organs
