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Anatomy & Physiology: Histology and Tissue Types

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Terms in this set (28)

  • What are the four basic types of human tissue?
    Epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous tissue.
  • What are the two basic components shared by all tissues?
    Cells and extracellular matrix (ECM).
  • What are the main elements of the extracellular matrix (ECM)?
    Ground substance (gel-like material) and protein fibers.
  • Name the three types of protein fibers in the ECM.
    Collagen fibers (strongest), elastic fibers (stretch and recoil), and reticular fibers (branched collagen fibers).
  • What is the function of epithelial tissue?
    Forms boundaries, protects, secretes, absorbs, and filters between different environments.
  • What are the two surfaces of epithelial cells and their characteristics?
    Apical surface (free, exposed to outside or open space) and basal surface (anchored to connective tissue by basal lamina).
  • How is epithelial tissue classified by cell layers?
    Simple epithelium (single layer) and stratified epithelium (two or more layers).
  • How is epithelial tissue classified by cell shape?
    Squamous (flat), cuboidal (cube-shaped), and columnar (tall, rectangular).
  • Where is simple squamous epithelium commonly found?
    At sites of diffusion and filtration, e.g., alveoli of lungs, mesothelium, and endothelium.
  • What is the function of simple cuboidal epithelium?
    Secretion and absorption, found in kidney tubules and small gland ducts.
  • What special features may simple columnar epithelium have?
    May have cilia to propel substances or microvilli to increase surface area for absorption.
  • What is pseudostratified columnar epithelium?
    A single layer of cells that appears multi-layered, often with cilia and goblet cells, found in the respiratory tract.
  • What characterizes stratified squamous epithelium?
    Multiple layers with flat cells at the apical surface; found in areas of wear like skin and oral cavity.
  • What are the three modes of glandular secretion?
    Merocrine (exocytosis), apocrine (apical cytoplasm shed), and holocrine (cell ruptures).
  • What is the main function of connective tissue?
    Supports, protects, binds other tissues, insulates, transports, and stores energy.
  • What are the immature and mature cells in connective tissue called?
    Blast cells (immature, build matrix) and cyte cells (mature, maintain matrix).
  • Name the three types of connective tissue proper.
    Loose connective tissue (areolar, adipose, reticular) and dense connective tissue (regular, irregular, elastic).
  • What is the function of areolar connective tissue?
    Binds and supports tissues, holds interstitial fluid, and acts as a water reservoir.
  • What distinguishes adipose tissue?
    Contains adipocytes that store nutrients as fat; white fat stores energy, brown fat generates heat.
  • What are the characteristics of cartilage?
    Tough, flexible connective tissue with chondrocytes in lacunae; avascular and contains collagen and elastic fibers.
  • What are the three types of cartilage?
    Hyaline (most abundant), elastic (more elastic fibers), and fibrocartilage (strong, thick collagen fibers).
  • What is the structural unit of bone tissue?
    The osteon, consisting of concentric lamellae around a central canal containing blood vessels and nerves.
  • What makes blood an atypical connective tissue?
    It is fluid with formed elements (cells and fragments) suspended in plasma matrix.
  • What are the three types of muscle tissue?
    Skeletal (voluntary, striated), smooth (involuntary, non-striated), and cardiac (involuntary, striated).
  • What is the function of nervous tissue?
    Conducts electrical impulses, senses environment, and processes information.
  • What are the two main cell types in nervous tissue?
    Neurons (generate and conduct impulses) and neuroglial cells (support and protect neurons).
  • What are the four types of membranes in the body?
    Cutaneous (skin), mucous (line open passageways), serous (line ventral cavities), and synovial (line joint cavities).
  • What are the two ways tissue repair occurs?
    Regeneration (same tissue replaces destroyed tissue) and fibrosis (connective tissue replaces destroyed tissue).