Animal Tissues
Animal tissues are classified into four main categories, each fulfilling particular functions essential for survival and efficiency.
- Epithelial Tissue: This tissue covers surfaces and lines cavities in the body. It comes in different shapes, including:
- Simple squamous: flat cells, as seen in lung linings.
- Cuboidal: cube-shaped, found in kidney tubules.
- Columnar: tall cells, found in the intestines.
- Ciliated: columnar cells with cilia, present in the respiratory tract.
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Stratified: multiple layers providing protection, like in skin.
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Connective Tissue: It connects, supports, and binds other tissues. Examples include:
- Areolar tissue: filling spaces between organs.
- Adipose tissue: fat storage.
- Tendons: connecting muscle to bone.
- Ligaments: connecting bone to bone.
- Cartilage: providing flexible support.
- Bone: a hard, rigid framework.
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Blood: a fluid tissue that transports materials.
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Muscular Tissue: This tissue is responsible for movement through contraction and relaxation. It includes:
- Striated (skeletal): voluntary muscles with stripes, e.g., the biceps.
- Unstriated (smooth): involuntary and spindle-shaped, e.g., in the intestines.
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Cardiac: found in the heart, involuntary and branched.
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Nervous Tissue: Composed of neurons and specialized supporting cells that transmit signals throughout the body. Key components include:
- Neuron parts: some parts include the cell body (cyton), dendrites that receive signals, and axons that transmit impulses.
Understanding these tissue types is essential as it outlines the complexity and specialization associated with cellular organization in animal life.