Chapter Four: Other Tissues

Muscle Tissue

Has the general function of movement. Contains skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle

Skeletal Muscle Description

Long, cylindrical, multinucleated cells; obvious striations

Skeletal Muscle Function

Voluntary movement; locomotion; manipulation of the environment; facial expression

Skeletal Muscle Location

In skeletal muscles attached to bones or occasionally to skin

Skeletal Muscle Photomicrograph

Cardiac Muscle Description

Branching, striated, generally uninucleate cells that interdigitize at specialized junctions (intercalated discs)

Cardiac Muscle Function

As it contracts, it propels blood into the circulation; involuntary control

Cardiac Muscle Location

The walls of the heart

Cardiac Muscle Photomicrograph

Smooth Muscle Description

Spindle-shaped cells with central nuclei; no striations; cells arranged closely to form sheets

Smooth Muscle Function

Propels substances or objects along internal passageways; involuntary control

Smooth Muscle Location

Mostly in the walls of hollow organs

Smooth Muscle Photomicrograph

Nervous Tissue Overview

Main tissue of the nervous organs including the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Contains two types of cells (neurons and neuroglia)

Nervous Tissue Description

Neurons are branching cells; cell processes that may be quiet long extend from the nucleus-containing cell body; also contributing to nervous tissue are nonconducting supporting cells, neuroglia

Nervous Tissue Function

Transmit electrical signals from sensory receptors and to effectors (muscles and glands) that control the activity of the effector organs

Nervous Tissue Location

Brain, spinal cord, and nerves

Nerve Tissue Photomicrograph

Good Regenerators of Tissues

Bone, Areolar/dense irregular CT, Blood, Epithelia

Mediocre Regenerators of Tissues

Smooth Muscle and Dense Regular CT

Poor Regenerators of Tissues

Skeletal muscle, tendons, ligaments, cartilage

Almost no regeneration of Tissues

Cardiac muscle and nervous tissue