Unit 1 BHS: Primary Tissues Flashcards
Define: ‘tissue’, ‘organ’ and ‘system’
- Tissues: groups of cells that share a common structure and function
- Organ: consists of at least two types of tissues, serve different functions of the the organ
- Systems: organs that are located in different regions of the body and perform related functions
General properties & characteristics of epithelial tissue
- Covers and lines the body’s surfaces and forms functional units of secretory ducts
- Cells are very closely packed together, joined with little space between them - barrier
- Avascular - receives nutrient from underlying connective tissue
- Cells are anchored to a basement membrane. One free surface to the lumen
Other characteristics:
a) functional polarity: have apical and basal portions that have distinct structural properties
b) regenerative: constant loss and renewal by mitosis
c) junctions between cells and basement membrane
d) derived from ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm
General classification of epithelium
- Number of layers
- Shape of cells in upper layer
- Surface specialisation
Classify epithelium according to number of layers
- Simple epithelium: 1 cell layer thick, specialised for transport (lungs)
- Stratified epithelium: composed of 2 or more layers, specialised for protection (skin)
- Pseudostratified epithelium: single layer of irregularly shaped cells, nuclei at different levels thus appear multilayered. Specialised for protection and secretion.
Classify epithelium according to shape of cells in upper layer
- Squamous: cells are flattened in shape
- Columnar: taller than wide
- Cuboidal: wide as tall
Types of simple epithelia
- Squamous cells
fn: diffusion & filtration.
Line all blood vessels, pulmonary alveoli - Cuboidal cells
fn: excretion, secretion, absorption
Line kidney tubules, salivary & pancreatic ducts - Columnar cells
fn: excretion, secretion, absorption
Line digestive tract, uterine tubes, respiratory passageways
Types of stratified epithelia
- Squamous Cells
a) Keratinised: protection. Epidermis of skin
b) Non-keratinised: protection & pliability. Linings of nasal and oral cavities, vagina and oral canal - Cuboidal Cells
strengthening of luminal walls. Large ducts of sweat glands, salver glands and pancreas - Transitional Epithelia
numerous layers of rounded cells. Fn in distension. Walls of uterus, urinary bladder
(Pseudostratified) - in the bronchus
Functions of covering epithelia
- Protection - mechanical and bacterial damage
- Prevent water loss. Water uptake
- Absorption - e.g. intestine with microvilli
- Active transfer - e.g. endothelium of capillaries
- Removal of particles - e.g. cilia in trachea
Membrane specialisations of epithelia
- Intercellular surfaces - cell junctions
- Luminal surfaces - microvilli and cilia
- Basal surfaces - basement membrane
Types of cell junctions between epithelial cells
- composed of transmembrane proteins & link adjacent epithelial cells to form continuous cohesive layer. Operate as communication channels.
THREE FUNCTIONAL TYPES
1. Tight (occluding) junctions - located beneath luminal surface and forms a band around the cell. Fn: blockage of molecules between adjacent cells
- Adhering junctions - anchorage points linking cytoskeletons of adjacent cells. Fn: structural support for entire epithelium.
a) zona adherens: actin
b) desmosomes: intermediate filaments
c) hemidesmosomes: basement membrane - Gap junctions - composed of numerous transmembrane channels. Fn: allow passage of small molecules between cells.
Luminal surface specialisations of epithelial cells
- Microvilli: fingerlike, NB in absorptive cells. Fn: increase S.A.
- Cilia: Hairlike structures which move. Fn: transport (respiratory tract & uterine tube)
Basal surface specialisations of epithelial cells
BASEMENT MEMBRANE
- non-cellular structures
- selective barrier to material between epithelium and underlying tissue. Provide METABOLIC support
- structural support for epithelium (hemidesmosomes)
- consists of ECM proteins (collagen IV, fibronectin, laminin)
PATHOLOGY: associated w/ diabetes, cancer, congenital muscular dystrophy, autoimmunity
Epithelial glands: types and functions
- epithelial glands: organised collection of secretory epithelial cells. Most develops as epithelial outgrowths into underlying CT.
- Fn: secretion
TYPES
1) Exocrine glands: remain connected to surface of epithelium by exocrine duct
2) Endocrine glands: lack excretory duct, product is released into blood circulation
Structure and characteristics of exocrine glands
- secretions are released into ducts
Structure:
1) excretory duct: can be simple or compound
a) simple: duct unbranched
b) compound: branched
2) secretory units: may be simple tubes or clusters of units (acini)
e. g. tear glands, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, prostate gland
Intestinal gland: simple tubular
Sweat gland: simple acinar
Sebaceous gland: simple branched acinar
Mechanisms of secretion of exocrine glands
- Merocrine: exocytosis of contents (sweat)
- Apocrine: pinching off (mammary)
- Holocrine: destruction/destruction of whole cell (sebaceous gland)
Structure and characteristics of endocrine glands
- lack ducts
- secrete hormones into capillaries or lymphatic system
- may be discrete organs whose primary functions are the production and secretion of hormones
General properties of connective tissue
- comprises of cells, fibres and ground substance
- cells are widely spaced by ECM and have direct blood supply
- provides structural and metabolic support, binds other tissues and cushion, protect and fill spaces
- does not occur on surfaces of the body
- able to regenerate
- derived from MESODERM
Structure (tissue components) of connective tissue
1) Cells (fibroblasts, chondro-, osteo- blast/cytes, adipocytes, mast cells, plasma cells, leukocytes)
2) Extracellular matrix
a) Fibres: Collagenous, Elastic, Reticular
b) Ground substance: Glycosaminoglycans
Four major cell types of connective tissue & their functions
1) fibroblasts - most abundant, produce collage; elastin & ground substance
2) macrophages - phagocytic
3) mast cells - produce histamine and heparin. Inflammation & allergies
4) plasma cells - produce antibodies, involved in immune response
Fibers in the ECM of cognitive tissues & their functions
- Collagenous: parallel collagen fibrills, for tensile strength and support. (prevent distortion of tissue)
- Elastic: stretchable, resilient, recoil after stretch. for elasticity
- Reticular: thin fibrils, form a loose mesh for cells to sit on (liver) - scaffolding
Ground substance of connective tissue
- consists of glycosaminoglycans. CHO that have negative charges that bind salt and water to form a gel.
- bound water act as a transport medium for nutrients, gases and metabolites.
- prevents and retards the spread of micro-organisms and toxins from infected areas.
Classification of connective tissue
- consistency of ground substance in ECM
- fluid: loose CT, blood
- semisolid: cartilage
- solid: bone - arrangement of fivers in extracellular matrix
- loose/tight
2 major types of cognitive tissue
- connective tissue proper
a) loose CT
b) dense CT - Specialised CT
a) adipose
b) cartilage
c) bone