ANIMAL Tissues and Cells
ANIMAL Tissues and Cells
ANIMAL Tissues and Cells
The animal cells are grouped together to form animal tissues. These tissues vary in their
structure, function, and origin. The animal tissues are divided into epithelial, connective,
muscular and nervous tissues.
1. Epithelial tissue covers body surfaces and lines body cavities. Epithelial tissue is made of
closely-packed cells arranged in flat sheets. Epithelia form the surface of the skin, line
the various cavities and tubes of the body, and cover the internal organs. Epithelia that
form the interface between the internal and external environments. Skin as well as the
lining of the mouth and nasal cavity.
These are derived from ectoderm. Inner lining of the GI tract, lungs, urinary bladder,
exocrine glands, vagina and more. These are derived from endoderm.
The apical surface of these epithelial cells is exposed to the "external environment", the
lumen of the organ or the air.
Mesothelia. These are derived from mesoderm.
o pleura — the outer covering of the lungs and the inner lining of the thoracic (chest)
cavity.
o peritoneum — the outer covering of all the abdominal organs and the inner lining of
the abdominal cavity.
o pericardium — the outer lining of the heart.
Endothelia. These are derived from mesoderm. The inner lining of the heart, all blood and
lymphatic vessels.
The basolateral surface of all epithelia is exposed to the internal environment -
extracellular fluid (ECF). The entire sheet of epithelial cells is attached to a layer of
extracellular matrix that is called the basement membrane or, better (because it is not a
membrane in the biological sense), the basal lamina.
The function of epithelia always reflects the fact that they are boundaries between
masses of cells and a cavity or space.
4. Nervous tissue is composed of nerve cells called neurons and glial cells. Neurons are
specialized for the conduction of nerve impulses; a typical neuron consists of a cell
body which contains the nucleus; a number of short fibers — dendrites — extending
from the cell body and a single long fiber, the axon. The nerve impulse is conducted
along the axon. The tips of axons meet other neurons at junctions called synapses,
muscles (called neuromuscular junctions) and glands.
Glia
Glial cells surround neurons. Once thought to be simply support for neurons (glia = glue), they turn
out to serve several important functions. There are three types:
Schwann cells. These produce the myelin sheath that surrounds many axons in the
peripheral nervous system.
Oligodendrocytes. These produce the myelin sheath that surrounds many axons in the
central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).
Astrocytes. These, often star-shaped cells are clustered around synapses and the nodes of
Ranvier where they perform a variety of functions such as:
o supplying neurons with materials (e.g. glucose and lactate) as well as some signaling
molecules
o regulating the flow of blood to their region of the brain. It is primarily the metabolic
activity of astrocytes that is being measured in brain imaging by positron-emission
tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).