Anatomy: Tissue Cartilage Tissue Essay

Submitted By nicolaharrington
Words: 826
Pages: 4

Tissues
Epithelial tissues
Epithelial tissue covers the whole surface of the body. It is made up of cells closely packed and ranged in one or more layers. This tissue is specialised to form the covering or lining of all internal and external body surfaces. Epithelial tissue that occurs on surfaces on the interior of the body is known as endothelium. Epithelial cells are packed tightly together, with almost no intercellular spaces and only a small amount of intercellular substance. Epithelial tissue, regardless of the type, is usually separated from the underlying tissue by a thin sheet of connective tissue; basement membrane. The basement membrane provides structural support for the epithelium and also binds it to neighbouring structures.
(source: http://www.bcb.uwc.ac.za/sci_ed/grade10/mammal/epithelial.htm 1 feb 2012)

Connective Tissues
Areolar
Areolar tissues is found in many parts of the body, the most important place it is found is the skin, it consists of a thin layer of gel supporting a network of fine white fibres Areolar tissue binds skin to the muscles beneath.
This loose connective tissue also forms a link between organs - while also enabling a high degree of movement between adjacent body parts. The key functions of areolar tissue are to support, strengthen and be elasticity.
These give strength to tissue like blood vessels, neurones and muscle fibres.

Adipose tissue
Adipose tissue consists of fat cells, and it has three main functions to it, they are storage, insulation and protection. It is found all over the body in areas such as the hips, buttocks and in organs such as the kidney, heart and liver.
Its main role is to store energy in the body, although it only cushions and insulates the body.

Bone Tissue
These are another type of connective tissue. Bone tissue consists of fibrous material, which gives it its strength, and calcium salts, such as calcium phosphate, which gives bone its rigidity. The skeleton is built of bone tissue and bone provides the internal support of the body and provides sites of attachment of tendons and muscles, essential for locomotion. Bone provides protection for the vital organs of the body: the skull protects the brain; the ribs protect the heart and lungs. The hematopoietic bone marrow is protected by the surrounding bony tissue.The main store of calcium and phosphate is in bone. Bone has several metabolic functions especially in calcium homeostasis.

Cartilage tissue
Cartilage tissue is strong but flexible and is found in joints and as rings of cartilage holding open the trachea
Cartilage is a type of dense connective tissue. Cartilage consists of a dense matrix of collagen fibres and elastic fibres embedded in a rubbery ground substance. The matrix is produced by cells called chondroblasts, which become embedded in the matrix as chondrocytes.

Blood
Blood is considered to be a type of connective tissue, although it has a different function compared to other connective tissues. Its liquid extra cellular matrix is called Plasma.
It is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells, oxygen, glucose and iron.
Inside the blood cells there are too types, red blood cells which are also known erythrocytes