Tissues of the body

Simple squamous

Description: single layer of flat
cells of substances.

Function: allows rapid diffusion
of substances.

Located: lungs for gas exchange

Simple cuboidal

Description: single layer of cube-
like cells

Function: involved in secretion
and absorption

Located: kidneys and secretary
glands

Simple columnar

Description: single layer of
column like cells

Function: secretion and
absorption

Located: kidneys, stomach,
and intesties

Stratified squamous

Description: many layers
of flat cells

Function: chemical and
mechanical protection

Located: skin surface/
esaphagus

Stratified cuboidal

Description: many layers
of cube like cells

Function: relatively rare

Located: exocrine glands
like sweat glands

Stratified columnar

Description: many layers
like column like cells

Function: relatively rare

Located: exocrine glands
like sweat glands

Transitional

Description: does not fit
"tidy" classification

Function: stratified epithelia
that can stretch

Located: bladder

Gladular

Description: a single cell or
a mass of epithelial cells

Function: production and release
of different secretary products

Located: a mixture of bone
endocrine (ductless, hormones
are secreted into the blood

Neurons

Description: branches or spikes extending
out from the cell body.

Function: send and receive signals.

Located: the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.

Supporting cells

Description: non-neuronal cells
of the nervous system.

Function: maintaining homeostatic
control and immune surveillance in
the nervous system.

Located: the central nervous system
(brain and spinal cord)

Bone

Description: white and sturdy

Function: protects and supports
body

Located: ends of bone

Hyaline cartilage

Description: pearl gray
semitranslucent matrix

Function: provides mechanical
support for the respiratory tree,
nose, articular surface, and
developing bones.

Located: in the nose, trachea,
larnyx, and bronchi

Fibrocartilage

Description: most tensile
strength

Function: provides the tough
material of the intervertebral discs

Located: found between vertebrae
and knee joint

Elastic cartilage

Description: most springy

Function: provides strength, and elasticity

Located: in external ear and epiglottis

Tendons

Description: fibrous connective tissue
which attaches muscle to bone

Function: serves to move the bone or
structure

Located: Lying outside the
epitenon and contiguous

Ligaments

Description: a fibrous connective
tissue which attaches bone to bone

Function: serves to hold structures
together and keep them stable

Located: around your joints

Areolar tissue

Description: a connective tissue
in which fibers are loosely arranged
in a net or meshwork

Function: Holds water in matrix,
provides support, strength and
elasticity

Located: found throughout the
body, typically below epithelial

Adipose tissue

Description: almost entirely
of adipocytes (aka "fat cell")

Function: the regulation of whole-
body energy homeostasis

Located: all over the body

Reticular tissue

Description: type of loose
connective tissue

Function: blood cell formation
and immune system defenses

Located: in lymph nodes, bone
marrow, and spleen

Blood

Description: a fluid matrix, called
plasma, and no fibers

Function: transportation, regulation,
and protection

Located: inside the blood vessels

Skeletal muscle

Description: long and thin,
multi-nucleated, striated.

Function: pulls on bones to make
gross body movements or
cause changes in facial movements.

Located: attached to bones.

Cardiac muscle

Description: much shorter,
uni-nucleated, striated, fit close
together at junctions called
"intercalated discs"

Function: must generate ATP
continuously.

Located: heart

Smooth muscle

Description: smooth like, spindle
like, not cylindrical, uni-nucleated,
not striated.

Function: propels substances,
slower (ex. Peristalsis)

Located: walls of hallow organs.