HISTOLOGY

-The study of tissues

Tissues- group of similar cells

performing a specific function
 Classifications of Animal
Tissues
 Epithelial Tissues- protection, secretion,
sensation

 Connective Tissues - connection & support

 Muscular Tissues- movement

 Nervous Tissues- communication

 1. Epithelial Tissues
Characteristics:
 cover the surface and internal cavities of
the body
 provided with basal membrane
 may be simple or stratified
 form parts of sense organs
 give rise to gland structures
 Epithelial Tissues
Types (based on # of layers & shape):
1. Simple squamous epithelium –1 layer; thin flat
polygonal cells
e.g. in Air sacs of lungs, lining of blood vessels

2. Stratified squamous epithelium - several layers; ;

polygonal cells
eg. Skin, mouth lining, vaginal lining, esophageal lining
3. Simple columnar epithelium – 1 layer; cells are taller
than wide
e.g. in lining of intestine & upper part of respiratory tract

in lining of intestine
Simple columnar epithelium

in lining of intestine
 Epithelial Tissues
4. Simple cuboidal epithelium – 1 layer; cube-like
e.g. in linings of kidney tubules; gland ducts
5. Ciliated Psuedostratified columnar
epithelium – provided with cilia; single layer but
appear stratified although cells originate at the same
base
-in trachea; ducts of many glands
 2. Connective Tissues
Functions: join other tissues; support the body & its organs;
protect underlying organs

 consist of:
1. cells - few
a. fibroblasts –produce fibers
b. Macrophages – act as phagocytes
2. fibers
a. collagen (white)
b. elastic (yellow) – contain elastin
c. reticular – more branched forming delicate supporting
network
3. amorphous ground substance – in matrix; glycoprotein of
liquid to solid consistency
 Connective Tissues
Types:
I. Connective Tissue (CT)
Proper
A. Loose/Areolar CT-
elastic yellow fibers (widely
distributed under the
epithelia of human body)

B. Dense/Fibrous CT –
densely packed collagen
fibers (eg. tendons,
ligaments, dermis of skin)
 Connective Tissues
II. Specialized Connective Tissue
A. Elastic tissue – thick bundles of parallel elastic
(yellow) fibers (in yellow ligaments of vertebral column;
lung tissue & large arteries)

B. Adipose tissue – used to store fats (subcutaneous

layer; pads around certain internal organs)

C. Vascular tissue/Blood - for transport of materials

Specialized Connective
Tissues

B. adipose tissue
 Specialized Connective
Tissues
C. Vascular tissue/Blood - for transport of
materials
-composed of formed elements & a liquid matrix
(plasma)
a. plasma – liquid portion
b. formed elements:
 Erythrocytes (RBC) – carries oxygen
 Leucocytes (WBC) – for immune system
 Thrombocytes (platelets) - for blood clotting;
small ovoid or circular cells lacking nucleus
Specialized Connective
Tissues

red blood cells and platelets

 Specialized Connective
Tissues
Granulocytes/polymorphonuclear leucocytes

a. neutrophil – multi-lobed nucleus (polymorphic)

b. eosinophil – 2-lobed nucleus

c. basophil – with 3-lobed assuming an S-shaped

nucleus
Connective Tissues
(Leucocytes)

neutrophil eosinophil
Connective Tissues
(Leucocytes)

basophil
 Specialized Connective
Tissues
Agranulocytes/mononuclear leucocytes

a. Lymphocyte – nucleus almost occupying the

entire cell (20-25%)
- elicits antibody response

b. Monocyte – with bean-shaped nucleus (2-6%)

- acts as phagocytes
Connective Tissues

lymphocyte
 Connective Tissues
III. Supporting Connective tissue
A. Cartilage – intercellular substance with
inorganic substances
1. hyaline cartilage – substance is translucent;
without fibers (in nose, larynx & trachea; end of long
bones)
2. elastic cartilage – with branched elastic fibers
(external ear, epiglottis)
3. fibro-cartilage – with unbranched collagenous
fibers (intervertebral disks; pubic symphysis, disks of
knee joint)
B. Bone or osseus tissue – with hydroxyapatite
crystals
Supporting Connective
Tissues

hyaline cartilage
Supporting Connective
Tissues

cartilage
Supporting Connective
Tissues

fibrocartilage
 Supporting Connective
Tissues
B. Bone or osseus tissue- for support

An Osteon or Haversian System ( structural

& functional unit of a compact bone)

Consists of:
• Bone matrix –calcified (calcium
hydroxyapatite & CaCO3)

• Cells:
osteocytes – bone cells found in
cavities or lacunae
osteoblasts- synthesize org.
components of the matrix
osteoclasts- resorption & remodeling
of bone tissues
• Lamelae – concentric layers in matrix
• Haversian canal – central cavity
• Canaliculi – cylindric spaces in matrix; Haversian System or Osteon
permits intercellular connection
 Muscular Tissues
 gives shape to the body
 for movement and locomotion
 Types of Muscle Tissues

 Skeletal – striated and voluntary

 Smooth – non-striated and involuntary

 Cardiac – striated and involuntary

 Muscular Tissues
TYPES:
1. Skeletal muscle tissue
- attached to skeleton
- elongated and filamentous
- many nuclei per muscle cell
- striated
- Voluntary contraction
 Muscular Tissues
2. Smooth muscle tissue
- walls of digestive tract
- spindle-shaped or fusiform
- one nucleus per cell
- Non-striated
- involuntary contraction
 Muscular Tissues
3. Cardiac muscle tissue
- muscle tissue of the
heart
- elongated fibers that
branch
- One nucleus per cell
(cell junctions are
called intercalated
disks)
- Striated
- Involuntary contraction
The Structure of a Muscle
Tissue
THE STRUCTURE OF A MUSCLE TISSUE
 Sarcolemma/Plasmalemma –muscle
membrane
 Sarcoplasm- muscle’s cytoplasm
 Sarcoplasmic reticulum –muscle’s
endoplasmic reticulum
 Muscle Fibers ="Muscle Cells "
- the contractile cells of muscle tissues
 Myofibril
- are small contractile filaments located within
the cytoplasm of striated muscle cells.
-consist of bands of alternating high and low
refractive index giving the distinctive striped
appearance of striated muscles
 Myofibril consists of two types of protein
filaments:
1) Myosin - "thick filaments”
2) Actin - "thin filaments"

The thick filaments and the thin filaments

within myofibrils overlap in a structured
way, forming units called Sarcomeres.

 Sarcomeres - the functional (contractile)

units of a myofibril;
 Coverings of Muscle Tissues

 Fascia - sheets or broad bands of fibrous

connective tissue that cover the entire muscle
organ

Superficial fascia- cover adjacent muscle organs

Deep Fascia – cover muscle organs found beneath

 Epimysium (Fascia) - surrounds the total bundle of many

fascicles
 Perimysium - the fibrous sheath that surrounds and protects
individual fascicles
 Endomysium - the fine connective tissue that surrounds and
protects each individual muscle fibre (between fibers)
THE STRUCTURE OF A MUSCLE
TISSUE
 Nervous Tissues
 specialized for reception and
transmission of impulses
 Controls and integrates all
body activities within limits that
maintain life

 Three basic functions

1. sensing changes with
sensory receptors
2. interpreting and
remembering those
changes
3. reacting to those changes
with effectors

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 Nervous Tissue


 consists of:
1. Neurons (nerve cell) - conduct impulses
cell body/ SOMA - w/ large central nucleus
dendrite – conducts signals toward the cell body
axon – conducts signal away from the cell body

2. Glial cells – supporting cells

a. neuroglia –for protection, support & nourishment
b. peripheral glial cells – maintain cells of peripheral
nervous system
 Parts ofNeuroglial
a Neuron cells

Nucleus with
Nucleolus

Axons or
Dendrites

Cell body
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 Functional Types of Neurons

Three (3) Functional Types:

1). sensory (receptor or afferent) neurons – respond to
envt. CNS
2) interneurons/association neurons –
sensory neurons motor neurons

 connects other neurons permitting integration;

located in spinal cord & brain

3) motor (effector or efferent) neurons –

CNS effector (eg. Muscle)
 Structural Classification of
 Based on number of Neurons
processes found on cell
body
1. multipolar = several
dendrites & one axon
• most common cell
type
2. bipolar neurons = one
main dendrite & one axon
• found in retina, inner
ear & olfactory
3. unipolar neurons = one
process only (develops
from a bipolar)
• are always sensory
neurons

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