SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

General Biology 1
Structure and Function of
Animal Tissue
 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you
classify the different cell types of animal tissue and specify the functions of each. The
scope of this module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The
language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are
arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you
read them can be changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.

The module contains:

• Structure and Function of Animal Tissues
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. Identify the parts of each animal tissue
2. Classify the different cell types of animal tissue
3. Specify the functions of animal tissue

DAY 1

Lesson Gen. Biology 1: Structure

1 and Functions of Animal
Tissues
A group of cells similar in structure, function, and origin is
called tissues. In animals, the structure of tissue depends on its
function. An animal body is made of four different types of tissues.
They have been classified based on the type of cell, function, and
location in the body. The four major tissue types are epithelial,
connective, muscular, and nervous tissue.

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 What’s In

Animals are multicellular organisms which are composed of

many cells. From cells (basic unit of life) to form tissues (complex
animals have four primary types), and tissues combine to form
organs—like the skin or kidney—that have specific, specialized
functions within the body. Organs are organized into organ
systems to perform functions; examples include the circulatory
system, which consists of the heart and blood vessels, and the
digestive system, consisting of several organs, including the
stomach, intestines, liver, and pancreas. Organ systems come
together to create an entire organism. In most animals, different
organs form organ systems.

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 What’s New

Activity 1 – Types of Animal Tissue and Functions

I. Objectives:
1.) To identify the parts of each animal tissue
2.) To classify different cell types of animal tissue

II. Procedure:
Analyze the given picture, identify its parts and classify the parts
based on the type of animal tissue (epithelial, connective, muscle,
and nervous).

Figure 1

Type of Animal Tissue: 6

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Figure 2

Type of Animal Tissue: 13)

Figure 3: Francisco

Type of Animal Tissue: 17)

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Figure 4

Type of Animal Tissue: 25)

DAY 2

What is It

Tissue is a group of specialized cells and the intercellular

substance around them that are adapted to work together in order
for perform particular functions.

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The four basic types of Animal Tissue

Epithelial tissue is a type of tissue made up of tightly packed cells

commonly seen outside the body as coverings or as linings of organs and
cavities. Examples of epithelial tissue include the skin, the lining of the mouth
and nose, and the lining of the digestive system.

Cells that make up epithelial tissues can have a distinct arrangement:

• Cuboidal – The tissue is made of cube-shaped cells, it is for secretion.

• Simple columnar – brick-shaped cell; for secretion and active
absorption
• Simple squamous- plate-like cells; for exchange of material through
diffusion
• Stratified squamous-multilayered and regenerates quickly; for
protection
• Pseudo-stratified columnar- single layer cells; may just look stacked
because of varying height; for lining of respiratory tract; usually lined
with cilia.

Connective tissues are made up of fibrous cells. Blood and bone are
examples of specialized connective tissues. The cells of the connective tissue
are separate by nonliving material called extracellular matrix. These tissues
help hold other tissues together like during the formation of organs and have
the ability to stretch and contract positively.

• Blood is made up of plasma (ie., liquid extracellular matrix) that

contains water, salts, and dissolved proteins; erythrocytes that carry
oxygen (RBC), leukocytes for defense (WBC), and platelets for blood
clotting. It is the only fluid connective tissue.
• Connective tissue proper (CTP) is made up of loose connective tissue
that is made up of collagenous fibers found in tendons and ligaments
(holds bones together and keeps them in place). Adipose tissues are
examples of loose connective tissues that store fats which functions to
insulate the body and store energy.

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 • Cartilage is characterized by collagenous fibers embedded in
chondroitin sulfate. Chondrocytes are the cells that secrete collagen
and chondroitin sulfate. Cartilage functions as cushion between bones.
They are present at the tips of external ears, bronchi, vertebral column,
etc.
• Bone is a mineralized connective tissue made by bone-forming cells
called osteoblasts which deposit collagen. It is a hard-connective tissue
which forms the framework of the body. The matrix of collagen is
combined with calcium, magnesium, and phosphate ions to make the
bone hard. Blood vessels and nerves are found at a central canal
surrounded by concentric circles of osteons.

Muscle tissues are tissues composed of long cells called muscle fibers
that allow the body to move voluntarily or involuntarily. The movement of
muscles is a response to signals coming from nerve cells. In vertebrates, these
muscles can be categorized into the following:

• Skeletal -striated in appearance; voluntary movements

• Cardiac – striated with an intercalated disk for synchronized heart
contraction; involuntary
• Smooth – not striated muscle with tampered ends; involuntary

Nervous tissues are composed of nerve cells called neurons and glial
cells that function as support cells. These neurons sense stimuli and transmit
electrical signals throughout the animal body. Neurons connect to other
neurons to send signals. The dendrite is the part of the neuron that receives
impulses from other neurons while the axon is the part where the impulse is
transmitted to other neurons.

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DAY 3

What’s More

Activity 2: Know my worth: General Functions of Animal

Tissue

I. Objective:

Specify the general functions of each animal tissue

II. Procedure:
Fill up the table below with the appropriate function based on the type
of animal tissue. Choose your answer from the box below, write only the
letter.

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 Functions Type of Tissue
1.) Provides a barrier between the
external environment and the
organ it covers.
2.) Transmit nerve impulses around
the body
3.) Excretes waste products such as
sweat from the skin
4.) Responsible for virtually all the
movements of the body, both
inside and out.
5.) Specialized to function in secretion
and absorption
6.) Help to hold the other tissues
together like during the formation
of organs and have the ability to
stretch and contract positively.
7.) Maintaining mineral homeostasis

8.) Protects organisms from

microorganisms, injury, and fluid
loss.

9.) The contraction helps the organs

carry out their functions
10.) Responsible for the carrying
of electrical and chemical signals
from the brain and central nervous
system to the periphery, and vice
versa

Type of Tissue
A. Epithelial tissue
B. Connective tissue
C. Muscle Tissue
D. Nervous Tissue

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 What I Have Learned

Types of Animal Tissue

1.) Epithelial tissue forms the outer layer of the body and also lines many
of the bodies cavities where it has a protective function.
Different Types of Epithelial Tissues

Cell shape Description Location

squamous flat, irregular round simple: lung alveoli, capillaries

shape stratified: skin, mouth, vagina

cuboidal cube shaped, central glands, renal tubules

nucleus

columnar tall, narrow, nucleus simple: digestive tract

toward base tall, narrow, pseudostratified: respiratory
nucleus along cell tract

transitional round, simple but appear urinary bladder

stratified

Table 1 Summary of the different types of epithelial tissues

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2.) Connective tissue assists in support and protection of organs and limbs
and depending on the location in the body it may join or separate organs
or parts of the body.
Connective Tissues
Tissue Cells Fibers Location

loose/areolar fibroblasts, few: collagen, around blood

macrophages, some elastic, vessels; anchors
lymphocytes, some reticular epithelia
neutrophils

dense, fibroblasts, mostly irregular: skin

fibrous macrophages, collagen regular: tendons,
connective ligaments
tissue

cartilage chondrocytes, hyaline: few shark skeleton,

chondroblasts collagen fetal bones,
fibrocartilage: human ears,
large amount intervertebral discs
of collagen

bone osteoblasts, some: vertebrate

osteocytes, collagen, skeletons
osteoclasts elastic

adipose adipocytes few adipose (fat)

blood red blood cells, none blood

white blood cells
Table 2 Summary of various types of connective tissues, the types of cells and fibers
they are made of, and sample locations of the tissues

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3.) Muscle tissue enables various forms of movement, both voluntary and
involuntary.
Types of Muscles
Type of Striations Nuclei Control Location
Muscle

smooth no single, in involuntary visceral organs

center

skeletal yes many, at voluntary skeletal

periphery muscles

cardiac yes single, in involuntary heart

center
Table 3 Summary of the differences of the type of muscles

4.) Nerve tissue is responsible for the carrying of electrical and chemical
signals and impulses from the brain and central nervous system to the
periphery, and vice versa. The main cell of the nervous system is the
neuron. Projections from the cell body are either dendrites specialized
in receiving input or a single axon specialized in transmitting impulses.
A nerve consists of neurons and glial cells.

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Functions of Animal Tissue

Epithelial tissue

• Provides a barrier between the external environment and the organ it covers.

• Specialized to function in secretion and absorption.

• Protects organisms from microorganisms, injury, and fluid loss.

• Excretes waste products such as sweat from the skin.

Connective Tissue

• Help to hold other tissues together like during the formation of organs and
have the ability to stretch and contract positively
• Maintaining mineral homeostasis
• connect and support the different tissues, organs, and parts of the body.

Muscle Tissue

• Muscle contractions are responsible for virtually all the movements of the
body, both inside and out.
• The contraction helps the organs carry out their functions. For example, when
smooth muscle in the stomach contracts, it squeezes the food inside the
stomach, which helps break the food into smaller pieces.

Nervous Tissue

• Responsible for the carrying of electrical and chemical signals from the brain
and central nervous system to the periphery, and vice versa
• Transmit nerve impulses around the body

What I Can Do

Tissues are made from large groups of cells that cluster together to complete
a shared function. From tissues arise organs, and organs keep the body operating.
Cells are important to form tissues; tissues are also important to form organs and so
on. Without the presence of one there will be no existence of others. Let us always
remember that like tissues, every person and his or her contribution is essential in
our existence. There is a saying that goes “no man is an island”, we cannot live all
by ourselves. If there will be no tissues, there will be no organs. We need one another
to live since we perform different functions in our society. Unity is the key to have a
good and successful life, without unity there will be a malfunction as a whole.

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DAY 4

Additional Activities

Activity 3 Types of Animal Tissues

1. Make a concept map of the types of animal tissues

2. List down at least 5 diseases caused by the malfunction of

each tissue types

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