TISSUES(ANATOMY)

A group of cells having the same origin, similar shape and specific or common
generalised function is called as a tissue.

Classification: Tissues are classified into four types:

1. Epithelial tissue
2. Connective tissue
3. Muscular tissue
4. Nervous tissue
These four groups of tissues are called as elementary tissues.

1. Epithelial Tissue:
They form the covering or lining to the free surface of the body.They are arranged on a
basement membrane.
 It is classified into
i. Simple epithelium: It consissts of a single layer of cells. It is again divided into:
 Squamous epithelium: It consists of flat cells arrangement edges to edges as in a
mosaic. This type covers the alveoli of lungs, pericardial, pleural and peritoneal
cavities.
 Cuboidal epithelium:The cells are cuboidal/ It ios fund in the distal convulated
tubule of the kidney.
 Columnar epithelium: It consists of tall, pillar like cells. It is found in lungs and
ducts of glands.
 Ciliated epithelium: The cells may be cuboid or columnar. But they contain hair
like structures called cillia present in the free border,e.g in trachea.
 Glandular epithelium: It consists of cylindrical or columnar cells.It is preset in
secretory glands like salovary glands and breast.
ii. Startified epithelium( compound epithelium): It consistes of several layers of cells. It
is further classified into:
 Startified Squamous epithelium
 Startified Cuboidal epithelium
 Startified Ciliated epithelium

Sometimes the superficial cells of startified epithelium become dry and hard. They
develop a protein called keratin. Then is called keratinised startified epithelium. If the
superficial cells do not contain keratin , is called non- keratinised startified
epithelium.

2. Connective tissue: Connective tissues serve to connect or bind together different organs
or different parts of an organ. They contain aa intercellular substance called matrix which
helps in binding and supporting the cells.
 They are classified as:
i. Areolar tissue: It is the most widely distributed tissue in the body. It connects the
tissues to the underlying structures. It is found between muscles, blood vessels and
nerves.
ii. Dense fibrous tissue: This tissue has compactly arranged . This type us present in
dermis of skin.
iii. Elastic tissue: It is yellow in colour and contains more no of elastic fibres. Present in
trachea and bronchi.
 iv. Adipose tissue: It contains large , rounded cells and cytoplasm is loaded with fat.
Present in subcutaneous tissue of skin.
v. Cartilage: It has a tough, elastic matrix.The cells are more or less round and lie in
groups of four embedded in the matrix. It is of three types:
 Hyaline cartilage: Here the matrix is free from fibres and is transparent and
the clls are arranged in small groups. E.g trachea and tip of nose.
 Fibro cartilage: The ground substances contains thick bundles of collagen
fibres. Found in intervertebral disc.
 Elastic cartilage: It contains a network of branching and rejoining collagenous
fibres.e.g epiglottis.
vi. Bone: It is the hardest connective tissue. It contains a high concentration of calcium,
phosphate.

3. Muscular Tissue: Muscle is a tissue which has the power of contraction. Contraction of
muscles produce movements.

Figure: Various types of MUscular tissue

They are classified into:

i. Voluntary muscle(Striated or skeletal muscle): It is inder the control of our will. It

forms the flesh of limbs and trunks. It contains unbranched fibres called fibrils. They
are cylindrical in shape.
ii. Involuntary muscle( non- striated, plain or smooth muscle): It, is not controlled
by our will. It is present in internal organs like stomach, intestine and uterus. It
contains long. Spindle shaped fibres with a central nucleus. The fibres are not covered
by any membrane. These muscles are controlled by Autonomic Nervous System.
iii. Cardiac muscle: It is found only in heart.It consists of short, cylindrical and
branched fibres. The nucleus is centrally placed. It is not contolled by our will.
 4. Nervous Tissue:
It is composed of three kinds of matter:
i. Gray matter forms the nerve cells
ii. White matter form the nerve fibres
iii. Neuroglia which is supportive tissue.

Neuron: It is the structural and functional unit of nervous system.

Figure - Structure of Neuron

It consists of

 Nerve cell: Each nerve cell has a nucleus and a highly specialised protoplasm.The body
of the nerve cell give rise to nerve fibres.
 Axon: It is the main fibre which arises from the body of each cell. Impulses pass through
the axon in one direction only.
 Dendrite: They are short fibres arising from body of the nerve cell. Thye conduct
impulses towards the cell body. Synapse is the junction between the axon of one neuron
and dendrite of another.

Myelin sheath: It is a sheath which covers and protects the axon of some nerve. Nerves
which contain the myelin sheath are called as medullated nerves and which do not contin
myelin sheath are called as non- medullated nerve. Node of Ranveir is the interruption found
in the myelin sheath.