Chapter 5: Tissues (Muscle and Nervous)

Vocabulary flashcards covering the major tissue types (epithelial, connective, muscle, nervous), membranes, exocrine glands, and specific muscle and neuron components as described in the notes.

Epithelial tissue

Tissue that covers body surfaces, lines cavities, and forms glands; functions include protection, secretion, absorption, and excretion; lacks blood vessels; cells divide readily; cells are tightly packed.

Connective tissue

Tissue that binds, supports, protects, fills spaces, stores fat, and produces blood cells; widely distributed; usually has a good blood supply; cells are farther apart than epithelial tissue with extracellular matrix between them.

Muscle tissue

Tissue that enables movement; attached to bones, in walls of hollow organs, and in the heart; capable of contracting in response to stimulation.

Nervous tissue

Tissue that conducts impulses for coordination and regulation; found in brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves; neurons communicate and neuroglia support neurons.

Neuron

Main cell of nervous tissue specialized for communication via nerve impulses; composed of soma (cell body), dendrites, and an axon.

Neuroglia

Supportive cells that nourish and protect neurons.

Serous membranes

Epithelial membranes lining closed body cavities and covering organs; simple squamous epithelium with areolar connective tissue; secrete serous fluid to reduce friction.

Mucous membranes

Line cavities and tubes that open to the outside; epithelium plus areolar connective tissue; goblet cells secrete mucus.

Cutaneous membranes

Also called skin; covers the body surface; part of the integumentary system.

Synovial membranes

Line joint cavities; composed entirely of connective tissue rather than epithelial tissue.

Unicellular glands

A single secretory cell.

Multicellular glands

Glands that consist of many cells.

Simple glands

Glands that communicate with the surface by means of ducts that do not branch before reaching the secretory portion.

Simple tubular gland

Straight tube-like gland that opens directly onto surface; example: intestinal glands of the small intestine.

Simple branched tubular gland

Branched, tube-like gland; duct short or absent; example: gastric glands.

Simple coiled tubular gland

Long, coiled, tube-like gland; long duct; example: merocrine (sweat) glands of the skin.

Simple branched alveolar gland

Secretory portions expand into sac-like compartments; example: sebaceous gland of the skin.

Compound glands

Glands that communicate with surface by means of ducts that branch repeatedly before reaching the secretory portion.

Compound tubular gland

Secretory portions are tubules extending from branches that combine into one duct; example: bulbourethral glands.

Compound alveolar gland

Secretory portions are irregularly branched tubules with numerous saclike outgrowths; example: mammary glands.

Skeletal muscle tissue

Long, thread-like, striated, multinucleated; attached to bones; enables voluntary movements of skeletal parts.

Smooth muscle tissue

Shorter cells, single central nucleus; involuntary movements of internal organs; walls of hollow internal organs.

Cardiac muscle tissue

Branched, striated cells with a single nucleus; heart movements; intercalated discs.

Intercalated discs

Specialized intercellular junctions in cardiac muscle tissue that coordinate contractions.

Nervous tissue (Table 5.8 description)

Cells with cytoplasmic extensions; function in sensory reception, neurotransmitter release, and conduction of electrical impulses; located in brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.

Soma (neuron cell body)

Cell body of a neuron containing the nucleus.

Dendrites

Neuron extensions that receive signals and convey them to the cell body.

Axon

Neuron extension that conducts impulses away from the cell body.