Tissues in the Human Body

Question 1

What are the 4 types of tissue classes?

Answer 1

Nervous tissue
Muscular tissue
Epithelial tissue
Connective tissue

Question 2

What are epithelial tissues?

Answer 2

A sheet of cells that covers a body surface or lines a body cavity

2 types: simple and stratified

Question 3

What are the main functions of epithelial tissues?

Answer 3

Filtration and secretion
Protection
Absorption of nutrients
Sensation/touch

Question 4

What are the 5 special characteristics of epithelium?

Answer 4

1. Polarity
2. Specialised Contacts - (cells fit close together, adjacent cells are bound together by lateral contacts)
3. Supported by connective tissue
4. Avascular but innervated - (contains no blood vessels but is supplied by nerve fibres)
5. Regeneration

Question 5

What are the 3 types of simple epithelial tissues?

Answer 5

Squamous
Cuboidal
Columnar

Question 6

What are the differences between simple epithelium and stratified epithelium?

Answer 6

Simple ET has one layer of cells

Simple ET have different shape nuclei than stratified tissues

Simple ET have no blood vessels and have basal specialisation

Question 7

Describe simple squamous epithelium.

Answer 7

Single layer of flattened cells

Has sparse cytoplasm

Thin, permeable helps with filtration by rapid diffusion.

Question 8

Describe simple cuboidal epithelium.

Answer 8

Single layer of cube-like cells with spherical nucleus

Secretes and absorbs nutrients

Question 9

Describe simple columnar epithelium.

Answer 9

Single layer of tall cells, round/oval nuclei

Contain microvilli and goblet cells

Absorption and secretion

Question 10

What are connective tissues?

Answer 10

Found everywhere in the body, but amounts in particular organs vary

(skin consists primarily of connective tissue where brain contain very little)

Question 11

What are the 4 main types of connective tissue?

Answer 11

Connective tissue proper
Cartilage
Bone
Blood

Question 12

What are the main functions of connective tissue?

Answer 12

Binding of organs

Support & movement

Physical & immune protection

Storage & transport

Question 13

What are the 3 main types of connective tissue proper?

Answer 13

1. Areolar connective tissue (loose)
2. Dense connective tissue
3. Adipose connective tissue

Question 14

What are the functions of areolar connective tissue?

Answer 14

Supports and binding other tissues

Holds body fluids

Defends against protection

Stores nutrients as fats

Question 15

What are the 3 main types of dense connective tissue?

Answer 15

Dense regular
Dense irregular
Elastic

Question 16

What are the functions of adipose connective tissue?

Answer 16

Acts as a shock absorber

Stores a great amount of nutrients

‘fatty tissues’ so provides insulation and energy storage

Question 17

What is cartilage?

Answer 17

A tough but flexible type of connective tissue (shares properties of bone)

Cartilage matrix made up of 80% water, enabling it to rebound after compression

Question 18

What are the 3 variants of cartilage?

Answer 18

Hyaline cartilage
Elastic cartilage
Fibrocartilage

(each dominated by a different fibre)

Question 19

Describe hyaline cartilage.

Answer 19

Most abundant cartilage type. Contains collagen fibres.

Provides support with some pliability, covers end of long bones providing springy pads that absorb compression at joints.

Question 20

Describe elastic cartilage.

Answer 20

Almost identical to hyaline, however there are more elastic fibres.

Found where strength and stretchability are needed.

Question 21

Describe fibrocartilage.

Answer 21

Has rows of chondrocytes and alternate rows of thick collagen

Found where strong support and ability to withstand pressure is required.

Question 22

Describe what bone is.

Answer 22

Due to its rock-like hardness, bone supports and protects body structures

Osteoblasts produce organic portion of bone’s matrix and has a lot of collagen fibres

Question 23

Describe what blood is.

Answer 23

A type of atypical connective tissue - it does not connect things or support.

The ‘fibre’ are soluble protein molecules that precipitate. Transport vehicle for cardiovascular system.

Question 24

Why is blood considered an atypical connective tissue?

Answer 24

Blood develops from mesenchyme and consists of blood cells, surrounded by a non-living fluid matrix called blood plasma

Question 25

What are nervous tissues?

Answer 25

Main component of the nervous system and regulates and controls body functions.

Question 26

What are the functions of nervous tissues?

Answer 26

Responds to stimuli

Transmits electrical impulses over substantial distances within the body

Question 27

What are muscle tissues?

Answer 27

Muscle tissues are highly cellular, well vascularised tissues that are responsible for most body movements.

Processes myofilaments (actin and myosin filaments)

Question 28

What are the 3 types of muscle tissues?

Answer 28

1. Skeletal muscle
2. Cardiac muscle
3. Smooth muscle

Question 29

Describe skeletal muscle tissue.

Answer 29

Form the flesh of the body.

Contracts, pulling on bones or skin, causing body movements.

Under conscious control, called a voluntary muscle.

Question 30

Describe cardiac muscle.

Answer 30

Found only in the walls of the heart.

Contracts to help propel blood throughout the blood vessels to all parts of the body.

Question 31

Compare skeletal muscle tissues and cardiac muscle tissue.

Answer 31

Both are striated. However, they differ structurally in cardiac cells…

Are generally uninucleate
Are branching cells that fit together tightly at intercalated discs

Question 32

Describe smooth muscle

Answer 32

Found in the walls of hollow organs other than the heart.

Acts to squeeze substances through these organs by alternately contracting and relaxing.