TISSUES, GLANDS & MEMBRANES

Mariejim Diane P. Lee, RMT, MSMT

TISSUES
Tissu = woven
Group of cells: similar in structure and
perform a common or related function
Forms the fabric of the body

From organs to tissues

EPITHELIAL TISSUE
Covers a body surface or lines a body
cavity
Two forms:
Covering and lining epithelium
Glandular epithelium

Protection, absorption, filtration, excretion,

secretion, and sensory reception

Special Characteristics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Polarity
Specialized contacts
Supported by connective tissue
Avascular but innervated
Regeneration

1. Polarity
Apical-basal polarity
Apical surface
Smooth
Microvilli
Cilia

Basal surface
Basal lamina

2. Specialized Contacts
Tight junctions
Keep proteins in the
apical region from
diffusing into the
basal region

Desmosomes
Both of them bind
adjacent cells
together

3. Supported By CT
All epithelial sheets rest upon and
supported by connective tissue
Basement membrane
Reinforcement
Two laminae:
Basal lamina
Reticular lamina

4. Avascular But Innervated

Epithelium contains no blood vessels,
but it is supplied by nerve fibers

5. Regeneration
High regenerative capacity
As long as epithelial cells receive adequate
nutrition, they can replace lost cells

Classification of Epithelium
Simple epithelia
Where absorption, secretion, filtration occur
Thin barrier

Stratified epithelia
High-abrasion areas

Epithelial Cells
Polyhedral shape
Common shapes:
Squamous
Cuboidal
Columnar

Simple Squamous
Structure:
Single row of flat cells

Function:
Rapid diffusion of
substances

Location:
Alveoli, glomerular
capsule, blood vessels,
heart lining, serosa
(stomach and intestines)

Simple Squamous

Simple Squamous

Simple Cuboidal
Structure:
Single row of cubeshaped cells

Function:
Absorption and secretion

Location:
Most kidney tubules,
bronchioles, ducts and
secretory portions of
small glands

Simple Cuboidal

Simple Columnar
Structure:
Single row of tall, narrow
cells

Function:
Absorption and secretion

Location:
Digestive tract, uterine
tubes, uterus, gallbladder,
few portions of respiratory
tract

Simple Columnar

Simple Columnar

Pseudostratified Columnar
Structure:
Single row of cells of
differing heights

Function:
Secretion; propulsion of
mucus (ciliary action)

Location:
Upper respiratory tract;
trachea, part of male
urethra

Pseudostratified Columnar

Stratified Squamous
Structure:
Several cell layers

Function:
Protects underlying
tissues from abrasion

Location:
Non-keratinized (mouth,
esophagus, vagina);
Keratinized (epidermis)

Stratified Squamous

Stratified Cuboidal
Structure:
Several cell layers of
round cells; rare

Function:
Secretion

Location:
Sweat glands, salivary
glands, seminiferous
tubules, mammary
glands, ovarian follicles

Stratified Cuboidal

Stratified Columnar
Structure:
Apical layer columnar;
limited distribution in the
body

Function:
Secretion

Location:
Pharynx, male urethra,
some glandular ducts

Transitional Epithelium
Structure:
Variable in appearance;
basal cells cuboidal or
columnar; superficial cells
dome-shaped

Function:
Allows stretches and
distention

Location:
Urinary tract

Transitional Epithelium

GLANDULAR EPITHELIA
Gland
One or more cells that secretes a product
Two set of traits:
Where they release their product
Number of cells

Secretion
Aqueous fluid containing proteins
Active process

Endocrine Glands
Ductless glands
Mostly multicellular
Hormones
Messenger
chemicals
Enter the blood and
travel to specific
target organs

Endocrine Glands

Exocrine Glands
Secrete products onto body surface or into
body cavities
Mucous, sweat, oil, and saliva

Unicellular Exocrine
Epithelial linings of intestinal and
respiratory tracts
Produce mucin
Complex glycoprotein that dissolves in water
when secreted

Two important examples:

Mucous glands
Goblet cells

Unicellular Exocrine

Multicellular Exocrine
Two basic parts:
Epithelium-derived duct
Secretory unit (acinus)

Structural classification
Simple or compound

Mode of secretion
Merocrine
Holocrine
Apocrine

Multicellular Exocrine
Merocrine
Secretory cells are not
altered
Pancreas, sweat glands,
salivary glands

Holocrine
Entire cell is destroyed
Sebaceous glands

Apocrine
Apex of cell pinches off
Mammary glands*

Multicellular Exocrine

CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Most abundant and widely distributed
Connective tissue proper
Loose (Areolar, Adipose, Reticular)
Dense (Regular, Irregular, Elastic) fibrous

Cartilage
Bone Tissue
Blood

CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Much more than just connect body parts
Its amount varies in particular organs
Functions:
Binding and supporting
Protecting
Insulating
Storing reserve fuel
Transporting substances within the body

Common Characteristics
Common origin
All arise from mesenchyme

Degrees of vascularity
Cartilage is avascular
Dense connective tissue is
poorly vascularized

Extracellular matrix
Bear weight, withstand great
pressure, and endure abuses

Structural Elements

Ground substance
Fibers
Cells
The composition
and arrangement of
these elements vary
tremendously.

Ground Substance
Unstructured material that fills the space
between the cells and contains fibers
Interstitial fluid
Cell adhesion proteins
glue that attaches cells to matrix elements

Proteoglycans
Consist of a protein core to which GAGs are
attached

Connective Tissue Fibers

Collagen fibers
Extremely tough
High tensile strength

Elastic fibers
Long, and thin fibers
Stretch and recoil

Reticular fibers
Short, fine collagenous fibers
Form delicate networks

Connective Tissue Cells

Secrete the ground substance and fibers
Primary blast cell types:
Fibroblast
Chondroblast
Osteoblast
Hematopoietic stem cell

Other Cell Types

Fat cells
Store nutrients

White blood cells

Tissue response to injury

Mast cells
Initiate local inflammatory response

Macrophages
phagocytosis

Connective Tissue

Connective Tissue Types

Mesenchyme
Embryonic tissue
Star-shaped mesenchymal cells
Arises during the early weeks of embryonic
development
Differentiates into other connective tissues
Some remain and provide a source of new
cells

Areolar Connective Tissue

Functions:
Supports and binds other tissues
Holds body fluids
Defense against infection
Stores nutrients

Location:
Widely distributed
Packages organs
Surrounds capillaries

Areolar Connective Tissue

Areola = a small open space

Loose arrangement of the fibers
Gel-like matrix with all the three fiber types
Cells:
Fibroblasts
Macrophages
Mast cells
Some white blood cells

Areolar Connective Tissue

Adipose Connective Tissue

Functions:
Provides reserve food fuel
Insulates against heat loss
Supports and protects organs

Location:
Subcutaneous tissue
Kidneys and eyeballs
Within abdomen
Breasts

Adipose Connective Tissue

Scanty matrix and
packed cells
Richly vascularized
18% of an average
persons weight
white fat
Signet ring cells

Adipose Connective Tissue

Reticular Connective Tissue

Reticular fibers and
reticular cells
Function:
Forms a soft
internal skeleton
(stroma) supporting
other cell types

Location:
Lymphoid organs

Reticular Connective Tissue

Dense Regular CT
Functions:
Attaches muscles to bones or to muscles
Attaches bones to bones
Withstands great tensile stress

Location:
Tendons
Most ligaments
Aponeouroses
Forms fascia

Dense Regular CT
Closely packed
bundles of collagen
fibers
Parallel to the
direction of pull
Slightly wavy fibers

Few cells other than

fibroblasts
Poorly vascularized

Dense Regular CT

Dense Irregular CT
Functions:
Withstands tension exerted in many directions
Provides structural strength

Location:
Fibrous capsules of organs and joints
Dermis of the skin
Submucosa of digestive tract

Dense Irregular CT
Thicker bundles of
collagen fibers
and arranged
irregularly
Found where
tension is exerted
from many
different directions

Dense Irregular CT

Elastic Connective Tissue

Functions:
Recoils after stretching
Maintains pulsatile flow of blood
Aids passive recoil of lungs

Location:
Walls of large arteries
Within certain ligaments
Walls of bronchial tubes

Elastic Connective Tissue

CARTILAGE
Lacks nerve fibers and avascular
Blood vessels are located in the perichondrium

Ground substance contains large amounts

of GAGs
Made up of 80% water
Chondroblasts produce new matrix
Chondrocytes are found inside the lacunae
Hyaline, elastic, fibrocartilage

Hyaline Cartilage
Functions:
Supports and reinforces
Serves as a resilient cushion
Resists compressive stress

Location:
Embryonic skeleton
Ends of long bones in joint cavities
Costal cartilages of the ribs
Nose, trachea, and larynx

Hyaline Cartilage
Most abundant
cartilage
Large numbers of
collagen fibers
Glassy (transparent)
matrix
Chondrocytes account
for only 1-10%

Hyaline Cartilage

Elastic Cartilage
Function:
Maintains the shape of
a structure while
allowing great flexibility

Location:
Supports the external
ear Epiglottis

Identical to hyaline but

more elastic fibers

Elastic Cartilage

Fibrocartilage
Function:
Tensile strength
allows it to absorb
compressive shock

Location:
Intervertebral discs,
pubic symphysis,
discs of knee joint

Thick collagen fibers

Fibrocartilage

Fibrocartilage

OSSEOUS TISSUE
Functions:
Supports and protects
Provides levers for the muscles
Stores calcium and other minerals; fats
Marrow serves as site for hematopoiesis

Location:
Bones

OSSEOUS TISSUE
Hard and rigid bone
matrix
Abundant collagen fibers
Inorganic calcium salts

Osteons
Structural units

Lamellae
Concentric rings of bone
matrix

OSSEOUS TISSUE

BLOOD
Why is it a connective tissue?
Develops from the mesenchyme
Consists of blood cells
Surrounded by a nonliving fluid matrix

Function:
Transport respiratory gases, nutrients, wastes,
and other substances

Location:
Contained within blood vessels

BLOOD
Blood cells
Red blood cells
White blood cells
Platelets

Fibers
Soluble protein
molecules that
precipitate
Blood clotting

BLOOD

CONNECTIVE TISSUE

MUSCLE TISSUE
Highly cellular, well-vascularized tissues
Body movement
Possess myofilaments
Networks of actin and myosin filaments
Movement or contraction

Skeletal Muscle Tissue

Functions:
Voluntary movement
Locomotion
Facial expression

Location:
Attached to bones

Long, cylindrical cells

Peripherally located nuclei

Cardiac Muscle Tissue

Functions:
Propels blood into
the circulation
Involuntary control

Location:
Walls of the heart

Branching, striated
Intercalated discs

Smooth Muscle Tissue

Functions:
Propels substances
along internal
passageways

Location:
Walls of hollow organs

Spindle-shaped
Centrally located
nucleus

NERVOUS TISSUE
Regulates and controls body functions
Functions:
Transmit electrical signals
Support and protect neurons

Location:
Brain, spinal cord, nerves

NERVOUS TISSUE
Neurons
Highly specialized
Branching
With cytoplasmic
extensions

Supporting cells (glial)

Non-conducting cells
Support, insulate and
protect neurons

NERVOUS TISSUE

NERVOUS TISSUE

NERVOUS TISSUE

MEMBRANES
Continuous multicellular sheets
Composed of at least two primary tissue
types
Simple organs

Three types:
Cutaneous
Mucous
Serous

Cutaneous Membrane
Cutis = skin
Epithelium firmly attached to a thick layer
of connective tissue
Exposed to air
Dry membrane

Mucous Membrane
Lines all body cavities
Epithelium over loose
connective tissue
Wet or moist
membrane
Some rests on a third
layer (smooth muscle)

Absorption and
secretion

Serous Membrane
Moist membranes in closed ventral body
cavities
Simple squamous epithelium resting on a
thin layer of loose areolar connective tissue
Hyaluronic acid
Named according to location
Pleurae
Pericardium
Peritoneum

Serous Membrane

TISSUE REPAIR
Three body defenses
Skin and mucosae
Cilia of epithelial cells (respiratory tract)
Strong acid (stomach glands)

TISSUE REPAIR
Inflammatory response
Relatively non-specific reaction
Develops quickly wherever tissues are
injured

Immune response
Extremely specific
Takes longer to act

TISSUE REPAIR
Requires the cells to divide and migrate
Repair occurs in two major ways:
Regeneration
Replaces destroyed tissue with the same kind
of tissue

Fibrosis
Dense connective tissue proliferates to form
scar tissue

Depends on the tissue type and severity