Muscle and Tissue Types Review

Muscle Tissue

  • Types of Muscle Tissue
    • Cardiac
    • Smooth
    • Skeletal

Skeletal Muscle

  • Function:
    • Moves bones
  • Control:
    • Voluntary control
    • You decide when to move your bones
  • Activation:
    • Controlled by the nervous system
    • Each skeletal muscle cell is connected to a neuron

Cardiac Muscle

  • Function:
    • Controls the heart
    • Acts as a pump for blood
  • Role of Pumping:
    • Pressurizes blood to ensure circulation
    • Important term: Perfusion (means blood needs to circulate to deliver oxygen to cells)
  • Control:
    • Involuntary control
    • You cannot consciously stop your heart

Smooth Muscle

  • Locations:
    • Found in internal organs, including intestines and blood vessels
  • Control:
    • Involuntary control
  • Function in Blood Vessels:
    • Helps control blood pressure
    • Regulates blood flow and oxygen delivery

Nervous Tissue

  • Components:
    • Brain, spinal cord, nerves
  • Function:
    • Communication via signals from one area to another
  • Types of Cells:
    • Neurons (signal-sending cells)
    • Glial Cells (supportive cells)
  • Neuron Structure:
    • Axon: Sends information away from the cell body
    • Dendrites: Receives information

Epithelial Tissue

  • Purpose:

    • Covers and layers surfaces

  • Characteristics:

    • Avascular (meaning no blood supply)
    • Innervated (contains nerves)

  • Example:

    • Paper cut example explains why it hurts but does not bleed

    • Epithelial tissue cannot bleed but can feel due to nerves

  • Building Blocks:

    • Atoms ➔ Molecules ➔ Macromolecules ➔ Cells ➔ Tissues

  • Macromolecules:

    • Lipids
    • Proteins
    • Carbohydrates
    • Nucleic acids (e.g., DNA)

  • Definition of Tissue:

    • Cells plus extracellular matrix

Extracellular Matrix (ECM)

  • Definition:
    • Structure made of cells plus extracellular material (protein fibers and ground substance)
  • Components:
    • Protein Fibers:
    • Collagen fibers (most abundant)
    • Elastic fibers
    • Reticular fibers
    • Ground Substance Examples:
    • Plasma (in blood)
    • Minerals like calcium and phosphorus (in bone)
  • Types of Tissue:
    • Tissues are made by combining cells with ECM

Connective Tissue

  • Overview:
    • Most diverse and abundant tissue in the body
  • Functions:
    • Connects and supports structures
    • Protection
    • Binding structures (e.g., skin to muscle)
  • Types of Connective Tissue:
    • Connective Tissue Proper:
    • Loose
    • Dense
    • Supporting Connective Tissue:
    • Bone
    • Cartilage
    • Fluid Connective Tissue:
    • Blood

Types of Cartilage

  • Hyaline Cartilage:
    • Connects ribs to sternum, found in trachea
  • Fibrocartilage:
    • Found between vertebrae (intervertebral discs)
    • Pubic symphysis
  • Elastic Cartilage:
    • Found in ear and epiglottis

Types of Bone

  • Spongy Bone:
    • Located inside bones
  • Compact Bone:
    • Located on the outside of bones

Epithelial Tissue Grouping

  • Characteristics:
    • Cell Shape:
    • Cuboidal (tall as wide)
    • Squamous (thin and flat)
    • Columnar (tall and column-like)
    • Number of Layers:
    • Simple (one layer)
    • Stratified (more than one layer)
    • Pseudostratified (appears stratified but is simple)
  • Special Types of Epithelia:
    • Transitional epithelium lines urinary bladder, allows for stretching

Review Points

  • Understand definitions and examples of tissue types
  • Questions in exams will require application of terms and concepts.
  • Review sample questions at the end of chapters.
  • Important to differentiate between different types of tissues and their components (fibers, matrix, etc.).