Human Body Tissue Types

Definition and Types

• A tissue is a group of similar cells that perform a specific function together.
• Four primary tissue types in the human body:
  1. Epithelial tissue: forms the lining of organs, glands, and other body surfaces.
  2. Connective tissue: provides support, structure, and connectivity between organs.
  3. Muscle tissue: responsible for movement and contraction.
  4. Nervous tissue: transmits and processes information.

Epithelial Tissue

• Functions:
  • Protection
  • Absorption
  • Filtration
  • Secretion
• Types:
  • Squamous epithelium: flat, plate-like cells (e.g., skin, lungs)
  • Cuboidal epithelium: cube-shaped cells (e.g., kidneys, glands)
  • Columnar epithelium: tall, column-like cells (e.g., intestines, stomach)

Connective Tissue

• Functions:
  • Support
  • Connection
  • Storage
  • Protection
• Types:
  • Loose connective tissue: flexible, widely spaced cells (e.g., fat, areolar tissue)
  • Dense connective tissue: tightly packed cells (e.g., tendons, ligaments)
  • Cartilage: flexible, yet strong, tissue (e.g., joints, ears)
  • Bone: rigid, calcified tissue (e.g., skeleton)

Muscle Tissue

• Functions:
  • Movement
  • Contraction
• Types:
  • Skeletal muscle: voluntary, striated muscle (e.g., muscles attached to bones)
  • Smooth muscle: involuntary, non-striated muscle (e.g., digestive tract, blood vessels)
  • Cardiac muscle: involuntary, striated muscle (e.g., heart)

Nervous Tissue

• Functions:
  • Transmission
  • Processing
• Components:
  • Neurons: transmit information
  • Glial cells: provide support and protection to neurons

Tissue Definition and Types

• A tissue is a group of similar cells that perform a specific function together.
• Four primary tissue types in the human body exist.

Epithelial Tissue

• Forms the lining of organs, glands, and other body surfaces.
• Functions include protection, absorption, filtration, and secretion.
• Types of epithelial tissue:
  • Squamous epithelium: flat, plate-like cells, found in skin and lungs.
  • Cuboidal epithelium: cube-shaped cells, found in kidneys and glands.
  • Columnar epithelium: tall, column-like cells, found in intestines and stomach.

Connective Tissue

• Provides support, structure, and connectivity between organs.
• Functions include support, connection, storage, and protection.
• Types of connective tissue:
  • Loose connective tissue: flexible, widely spaced cells, found in fat and areolar tissue.
  • Dense connective tissue: tightly packed cells, found in tendons and ligaments.
  • Cartilage: flexible, yet strong, tissue, found in joints and ears.
  • Bone: rigid, calcified tissue, found in the skeleton.

Muscle Tissue

• Responsible for movement and contraction.
• Functions include movement and contraction.
• Types of muscle tissue:
  • Skeletal muscle: voluntary, striated muscle, found in muscles attached to bones.
  • Smooth muscle: involuntary, non-striated muscle, found in the digestive tract and blood vessels.
  • Cardiac muscle: involuntary, striated muscle, found in the heart.

Nervous Tissue

• Transmits and processes information.
• Functions include transmission and processing.
• Components of nervous tissue:
  • Neurons: transmit information.
  • Glial cells: provide support and protection to neurons.

Learn about the four primary tissue types in the human body, including epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous tissues and their functions.