Human Tissues

Dr Aswathy Gopinath
College of Medicine, Qatar University
agopinath@qu.edu.qa
 Expected Learning Outcomes

• Name the four major tissue types and their chief

subcategories.

• Explain how the four major tissue types differ

structurally and functionally.

• Give the chief locations of the various tissue types

in the body.
 Tissues: Introduction
• Cells work together in functionally related groups called
Tissues
Tissue – a group of closely associated cells that perform related
functions and are similar in structure

Tissue Cells Functions

Epithelial Polyhedral Covering of surfaces,
lining cavities or
forming glands
Connective Fixed and wandering Support and protection

Muscular Elongated contractile Movement

Nervous Elongated Control and

Transmission of
nerve impulse
 Epithelial tissue

• Functions of epithelium:
• Protection from dehydration, chemical and mechanical
damage and microbes
• Absorption
• Filtration
• Secretion
 Special Characteristics of Epithelia
• Cellularity - composed almost entirely of cells, separated by
minimal amount of extra-cellular material (forming the
basement membrane)
• Specialized contacts – special cell junctions join adjacent
epithelial cells
• Polarity – cells have an upper (apical) and lower (basal)
surface
• Avascular but innervated – epithelia does not contain blood
vessels, but does contain nerve endings
• Regeneration – epithelia has a high regenerative capacity,
meaning they can repair and replace cells at a high rate
Special Characteristics of Epithelia
 Types and Classifications of Epithelia
Two main types:
A. Surface Epithelia
–covering the body surface (skin) or lining body cavities
B. Glandular Epithelia
– secretory epithelial cells that form Exocrine and Endocrine glands.

• Classifications:
• First name of tissue indicates number of cell layers
• Simple – one layer of cells
• Stratified – more than one layer of cells
• Last name of tissue describes shape of cells
• Squamous – cells wider than tall (plate-like), flattened cells
• Cuboidal – cells are as wide as tall, like cubes
• Columnar – cells are taller than they are wide, like columns
Classifications of Surface Epithelia
 Simple Squamous Epithelium
• Description: Single layer of flat cells with disc-shaped nuclei
• Special types
• Endothelium: Thin and flattened lining of blood and
lymphatic vessels
• Mesothelium: Lines ventral body cavities and covers
organs of those cavities(serosae)
• Functions
• Passage of materials by passive diffusion and filtration
• Secretes lubricating substances in serosae
• Location
• Alveoli of lungs, lining of heart, blood and lymphatic
vessels
• Lining of ventral body cavity and covering organs (serosae)
Simple Squamous Epithelium
 Simple Cuboidal Epithelium

• Description – single
layer of cube-like cells
with large, spherical
central nuclei resting
on basement
membrane
• Function – secretion and
absorption
• Location – kidney
tubules, secretory portions
of small glands, ovary
surface
Duct gland
 Simple Columnar Epithelium

• Description – single layer of column-shaped/tall cells with

oval nuclei
• Some bear cilia at their apical surface
• May contain goblet cells
• Function
• Absorption; secretion of mucus, enzymes, and other
substances
• Ciliated type propels mucus or reproductive cells by
ciliary action
• Location
• Non-ciliated form
• Lines digestive tract, gallbladder, ducts of some glands
• Ciliated form
• Lines small bronchi, uterine tubes, and uterus
Simple Columnar Epithelium
 Stratified Epithelia

• Stratified squamous is the most common stratified epithelium.

• The cells at the free edge are squamous and deeper layers of cells appear
cuboidal or columnar
• Specific types
• Keratinized – contain the protective protein keratin
• Non-keratinized – forms moist lining of body openings and
tubes where is wear and tear
• Function – Protects underlying tissues in areas subject to abrasion
• Location
• Keratinized – forms epidermis
• Non-keratinized – forms lining of esophagus, mouth, anal canal,
and vagina
Stratified Squamous Epithelium
Non-keratinized

Keratinized
Stratified Cuboidal Epithelium

• Description – generally
two layers of
cube-shaped cells
• Function – protection
• Location
• Forms largest ducts of
sweat glands
• Forms ducts of mammary
glands and salivary
glands
Stratified Columnar Epithelium

• Description – several
layers; basal cells usually
cuboidal; superficial cells
elongated
• Function – protection and
secretion
• Location
• Rare tissue type
• Found in male urethra
and large ducts of some
glands
 Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelium
• Description
• All cells originate at basement membrane, only tall cells reach the
apical surface
• May contain goblet cells and bear cilia
• Nuclei lie at varying heights within cells, gives false impression of
stratification
• Function – secretion of mucus; propulsion of mucus by cilia
• Locations
• Non-ciliated type: Ducts of male reproductive tubes and large
glands
• Ciliated variety: Lines trachea and most of upper respiratory tract
Pseudostratified Ciliated Columnar Epithelium
Transitional Epithelium

• Description
• Basal cells usually cuboidal
or columnar
• Superficial cells dome-
shaped or squamous
• Function – stretches and
permits distension of urinary
bladder
• Location
• Lines ureters, urinary
bladder and part of urethra
 Glandular Epithelium
 Specialized in synthesis and secretion.
 Two main types: Exocrine and Endocrine.
• Exocrine:
• Ducts carry products of exocrine glands to
epithelial surface
• Include the following diverse glands:
• Mucus-secreting glands
• Sweat and oil glands
• Salivary glands
• Liver and pancreas
Unicellular Exocrine Glands (The Goblet Cell)

• Goblet cells produce mucin

• Mucin + water  mucus
• Protects and lubricates many internal body surfaces
 Multicellular Exocrine Glands

• Have two basic parts: Epithelium-walled duct and secretory unit

• Classified by structure of duct (according to branching):
Simple and compound
• Categorized by secretory unit (according to shape):
• Tubular
• Alveolar
• Tubuloalveolar
 Endocrine Glands

• Ductless glands

• Secrete substances directly into bloodstream

• Produce molecules called hormones

• Examples: pituitary, adrenal, thyroid,

parathyroid, pancreas, gonads, thymus, pineal
etc.
 Connective Tissue (C.T.)

Cells Extracellular Matrix

Fibers Ground Substance

Collagen Elastic Reticular

 Connective Tissue Cells
1) Fibroblast/Fibrocyte – synthesize the fibers and extracellular
matrix. Permanent (fixed/immobile) resident.
2)Adipocyte – signet ring appearance, stores fat (energy),
Permanent (fixed) resident.
3)Mast Cell – present more in skin, respiratory & GIT –
Defense. Filled with basophilic granules, increase with allergy.
4)Macrophage (histiocytes) – derived from blood monocytes -
Phagocytosis and defense.
5)Plasma cells arise from lymphocytes, present more in loose
CT, Resp. Syst., and GIT - Immunologic
6)Leukocytes: neutrophils (microphages) - Defense against
bacterial invasion; eosinophils and basophils - defense and
allergy - Immunologic
7) Lymphocytes - either large or small - Immunologic
Loose CT (Areolar)
 Extracellular Matrix
Extracellular matrix is composed of
 Ground substance - glycosaminoglycans

(polysaccharides secreted by fibroblasts) and

interstitial fluid (tissue fluid derived from blood).

 The 3 Fibrillar componenets:

1. Collagen (tensile support)
2. Elastic (stretchable fiber)
3. Reticular = (forms stroma of solid organs &
lymphoid tissue)
 Fibers of Connective Tissue
1) Collagen fibers: most abundant fibers, made up of a
protein collagen, seen as straight or wavy bundles
which may branch but individual fibers do not branch.
Types of collagen:
Type I: dermis of skin, tendons, bone
Type II: hyaline cartilage, and elastic cartilage,
Type III: these are the reticular fibers,
Type IV: the basal lamina of the basement membranes.
2)Elastic fibers: thin small branching, contain protein
elastin. Stretchable, responsible for elastic recoil (found in
lung, bladder, skin, large blood vessels)
3)Reticular fibers: much finer and form a delicate
framework in lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, lung, liver.
Classes of Connective Tissue
 Connective Tissue Proper
• Major functions
• Support and binding of other tissues
• Holding body fluids
• Defending body against infection
• Storing nutrients as fat
• Fibroblasts produce the protein fibers

• Two main subclasses

• Loose connective tissue
• Dense connective tissue
Areolar Connective Tissue
• Description
• Gel-like matrix with all three
protein fiber types
• Cells – fibroblasts, macrophages,
mast cells, white blood cells
• Function
• Wraps and cushions organs -
support
• Holds and conveys tissue fluid
• Important role in inflammation

• Location
• Widely distributed under
epithelia
• Packages organs
• Surrounds small nerves and
capillaries
Loose CT (Areolar)
Other Loose CT (Adipose)
Adipose tissue
 Other Loose CT (Reticular)

Ex: lymphoid organs, stroma of kidney & liver, bone marrow

 Dense connective tissue
Bundles of collagen fibres and between them are fibroblast
arranged in rows.
Tendons, ligaments
 Types of Dense C.T.
Nuclei of
fibroblasts

Collagen
fibers

Regular (e.g. Tendons) Irregular (e.g. Skin)

Elastic (e.g. Large blood

vessels
THANK YOU