HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

MODULE 2.3 TISSUE LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION

Human Body Tissues Functions of Epithelial Tissue

 Protection
A tissue is composed of cells that have o Epithelial tissue forms the skin
the same structure, function together in of many animals.
a specialized activity and come from the o Ciliated epithelium lines the
same embryonic origin. respiratory tract. Numerous
cilia on these cells sweep
A. EMBRYONIC TISSUES impurities toward the throat.
Ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm  Absorption
are embryonic tissues that give rise to o Absorption is an important
all of the tissues, organs, and organ function of epithelial tissue.
systems in the body. For example, the gut is lined
1. Ectoderm forms the outer with epithelial tissue and it
layer of skin and nervous functions to absorb nutrients
system. from food. The lungs are also
2. Mesoderm forms the lined with epithelial tissue and
muscles, connective tissues, it functions to absorb oxygen.
skeleton, kidneys, and  Secretion
circulatory and reproductive o Glandular epithelium secretes
organs. chemicals.
3. Endoderm forms the lining of o Endocrine glands secrete
the gut, respiratory, tract, and hormones directly into the
urinary bladder. It also forms extracellular space.
the glands associated with the o Exocrine glands often secrete
gut and respiratory tract through DUCTS; they secrete
mucus, saliva, wax, milk, etc.
B. EPITHELIAL TISSUES  Sensation
Epithelial tissue consists of closely  Excretion
packed cells and covers external
surfaces, internal cavities, tubes, and
organs. One surface of the tissue is free
and the other adheres to a basement
membrane. It is avascular and have a
very high rate of cell division.

Surfaces:
1. Apical – outside or exposed to a body
cavity, lumen of internal
organs.
2. Basal – inside or adheres to an
adjacent connective tissue
3. Lateral – sides

Covering and Lining Epithelium

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MODULE 2.3 TISSUE LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION

A. Simple Epithelium – single of glands

layer of cells - Ciliated
- Contain goblet cells in
i. Simple Squamous some cells
- Cells are broad, thin and flat that - Moves mucus and other
allow rapid diffusion structures by ciliary
- Nucleus is oval or spherical; action
centrally located - Found in trachea, uterus,
- For filtration and diffusion uterine tubes, paranasal
sinuses, central canal of
spinal cord.

ii. Simple Cuboidal

- Cube or hexagon shaped
- Round nucleus and centrally iv. Pseudostratified Columnar
- located - Single layer
- Secretion and absorption - Appear to be multilayer
- Found in kidney tubules, surface of because nuclei lie at
ovary, smaller ducts of many different levels
glands. - and not all cells reach
the apical surface.
- For secretion and
movement of mucus
- Found in trachea,
urethra, and epididymis.

iii. Simple Columnar

- Tall and cylindrical
- Nucleus is elongated and located
near basal surface

B. Stratified Epithelium – two or

more layers of the cells that protect
underlying tissues
i. Stratified Squamous
- Superficial layer: flat
- Deep layer – cuboidal to
columnar
- Non-ciliated - Basal cells – continuous cell
- Contains goblet cells and division to replace cells that
microvilli in some locations are lost at the surface
- Functions for secretion and
absorption
- Found in the gastrointestinal
tract, gall bladder, and ducts
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MODULE 2.3 TISSUE LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION

- Functions for protection - Relaxed state: stratified

Found in skin, lining of mouth, cuboidal except that apical
esophagus, epiglottis, and cells are large and rounded
tongue. - Distended state: stratified
ii. squamous
- Found in urinary bladder

C.

Stratified Cuboidal
- Apical surface – cube shaped Glandular Epithelium
- Protection and have limited
secretion and absorption A gland consists of a single cell or
- Found in the ducts of sweat group of highly specialized epithelial
glands and urethra cells that secrete substances into ducts,
onto or surface, or into the blood.

i. Endocrine glands
- Secretory products
(hormones) diffuse into blood
after passing through
interstitial fluid.

iii. Stratified Columnar

- Several layers of polyhedral
cells
- Apical layer: columnar cells
- Protection and secretion
- Found in urethra, excretory
ducts of some glands.

- Examples include pituitary

gland at base of brain, pineal
gland in brain, thyroid and
parathyroid glands near larynx
(voice box), adrenal glands
superior to kidneys, pancreas
near stomach, ovaries in
pelvic cavity, testes in
iv. Transitional scrotum, and thymus in
- Variable in appearance thoracic cavity.
depending whether the organ - Produce hormones that
is relaxed or dilated regulate various body
- Very elastic activities
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MODULE 2.3 TISSUE LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION

ii. Exocrine glands

- Secretory products released into ducts.
- Sweat, oil, and earwax glands of the skin;
digestive glands such as salivary glands,
which secrete into mouth cavity, and
pancreas, which secretes into the small
intestine.
- Produce substances such as sweat, oil,
earwax, saliva, or digestive enzymes.

C. CONNECTIVE TISSUES

- Most abundant and widely distributed

tissue
- Do not usually occur in free surfaces
- Highly vascular
- With nerve supply (except cartilages)

Functions of Connective Tissues:

1. Bind, support, and strengthen other tissues

2. Protect and insulate internal organs
3. Compartmentalize structures
4. Major transport system (blood)
5. Major site of stored energy reserves (adipose)

1. Connective Tissue

a. Fibroblast
- Large flat cells with branching processes
- Present in all connective tissues and usually most numerous
- Secret fibers and ground substances
b. Macrophages or Histiocytes
- Irregular shape with short branching projections.
c. Plasma cells
- Small, round or irregular in shape
- Secrete antibodies
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MODULE 2.3 TISSUE LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION

d. Mast cells
- Abundant in blood vessels that supply connective tissues
- Produce histamine
e. Adipocytes
- Stores triglycerides
- Found below the skin and around organs
f. White blood cells
- Migrate from blood to connective tissues in response to certain conditions
Examples: Neutrophils – sites of infection
Eosinophils – allergies

Connective Tissue Matrix

1. Ground Matrix
- component of a connective tissue
between the cells and fibers.
- The ground substance may be
fluid, semifluid, gelatinous, or
calcified.
- supports cells, binds them
together, stores water, and
provides a medium through which
substances are exchanged
between the blood and cells.
- It plays an active role in how
tissues develop, migrate,
proliferate, and change shape,
and in how they carry out their
metabolic functions.
2. Fibers
- function to strengthen and
support connective tissues.
a. Collagen
- very strong and resist pulling forces, but they are not stiff, which allows
tissue flexibility.
- found in most types of connective tissues, especially bone, cartilage,
tendons, and ligaments.
b. Elastic fibers
- smaller in diameter than collagen fibers, branch and join together to
form a network within a tissue.
- elastic fibers are strong but can be stretched up to 150% of their
relaxed length without breaking.
- have the ability to return to their original shape after being stretched
- found in skin, blood vessel walls, and lung tissue.
3. Reticular Fibers
- consisting of collagen arranged in fine bundles with a coating of glycoprotein
- support in the walls of blood vessels and form a network around the cells in some
tissues, such as areolar connective tissue, adipose tissue, and smooth muscle
tissue.
- Produced by fibroblasts, reticular fibers are much thinner than collagen fibers and
form branching networks.
- provide support and strength.
- plentiful in reticular connective tissue, which forms the stroma, supporting
framework of many soft organs, such as the spleen and lymph nodes. These
fibers also help form the basement membrane.