The Tissues of the human body
Four types of tissue:
Epithelial tissue
Connective tissue
Muscle tissue
Nervous tissue
Epithelial tissue:
Definition---is the covering, lining, and glandular tissue of the body.
Functions---Protection, absorption, excretion, filtration, secretion, and sensory reception.
Characteristics---exhibit a huge degree of cellularity, specialized contacts, polarity, avascularity, support from connective tissue, and high regenerative capacity.
Classification:
By arrangement---simple (one layer)
By cell shape---squamous, cuboidal, columnar
Combination terms:

Simple squamous epithelium
Description--- a single layer of flattened cells with disc-shaped central nuclei and sparse cytoplasm. The simplest of the epithelia.
Function---Allows passage of materials by diffusion and filtration I sites where protection is not important; secretes lubrication substances in serosae.
Location---Kidney glomeruli; air sacs of lungs; lining of heart, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels; lining of ventral body cavity (serosae).

Simple cuboidal epithelium
Description---a single layer of cubelike cells with large, spherical central nuclei.
Function--- Secretion and absorption.
Location--- Kidney tubules; ducts and secretory portions of small glands; ovary surface.

Simple columnar epithelium
Description---Single layer of tall cells with round to oval nuclei; some cells bear cilia; layer may contain mucus-secreting unicellular glands (goblet cells).
Function---Absorption; secretion of mucus, enzymes, and other substances; ciliated type propels mucus (or reproductive cells) by ciliary action.
Location---Nonciliated type lines most of the digestive tract (stomach to anal canal), gallbladder, and excretory ducts of some glands; ciliated variety lines small bronchi, uterine tubes, and some regions of the uterus.

Pseudostratified columnar epithelium
Description---Single layer of cells of differing heights, some not reaching the free surface; nuclei seen at different levels; may contain goblet cells and bear cilia.
Function---Secretion, particularly of mucus; propulsion fo mucus by ciliary action.
Location---Nonciliated type in male’s sperm carrying ducts and ducts of large glands; ciliated variety lines the trachea, most of the upper respiratory tract.
Stratified cuboidal epithelia
Description---Quite rare in the body.
Location--- mostly found in the ducts of some of the larger glands(sweat glands, mammary glands).
Stratified columnar epithelium
description---a limited distribution in the body.
Location---pharynx, the male trethra, and lining some glandular ducts.
Stratified squamous epithelium 
Description--- Thick membrane composed of several cell layers; basal cells are cuboidal or columnar and metabolically active; surface cells are flattened; in the keratinized type, the surface cells are full of kerative and dead; basal cell are active in mitosis and produce the cells of the more superficial layers.
Function--- Protects underlying tissues in areas subjected to abrasion.
Location--- Nonkeratinized type forms the moist linings of the esophagus, mouth, and vagina; keratinized variety forms the epidermis of the skin, a dry membrane.
Transitional epithelium 
Description---Resembles both stratified squamous and stratified cuboidal; basal cells cuboidal or columnar; surface cells dome shaped or squamouslike, depending on degree of organ stretch.
Function--- stretches readily and permits distension of urinary organ by contained urine.
Location--- Lines the ureters, bladder, and part of the urethra.
Connective Tissue:
Definition---is the most abundant and widely distributed tissue of the body.
Functions---support, protection, binding, insulation, and transportation (blood).
Characteristics---originate from embryonic mesenchyme and exhibit matrix. Depending on type, a connective tissue may be well vascularized (most), poorly vascularized (dense connective tissue), or avascular (cartilage)
Structural Elements:The structural elements of all connective tissues are
extracellular matrix and cells.
Extracellular matrix consists of ground substance and fivers. It may be fluid, gel-like, or firm.
Each connective tissue type has a primary cell type that can exist as a mitotic, matrix-secreting cell (blast) or as a mature cell (cyte) responsible for maintaining the matrix. The chief cell type of connective tissue proper is the fibroblast; that of cartilage is the chondroblast; that of bone is the osteoblast; and that of blood-forming tissue is the hematopoietic stem cell.
Types of connective tissue:Embryonic connective tissue
Description---Embryonic connective tissue; gel-like ground substance containing fibers; star-sharped masenchymal cells.
Function---Gives rise to all othe connective tissue types.
Location--- Primarily in embryo.
Connective tissue proper consists of loose and dense varieties.
Loose connective tissue:
Areolar
Description--- Gel-like matrix with all three fiber types; cells: fibroblasts, macrophages mast cels, and some white blood cells.
Function ---Wraps and cushions organs; its macrophages phagocytize bacteria; plays important role in inflammation; holds and conveys tissue fluid.
Location--- Widely distributed under epithelia of body e.g. forms lamina propria of mucous membranes; packages organs; surrounds capillaries.
Adipose 
Description ---Matrix as in areolar, but very sparse, closely packed adipocytes, or fat cells, have nucleus pushed to the side by large fat droplet.
Function--- Provides reserve food fuel; insulates against heat loss; supports and protects organs.
Location---Under skin, around kidneys and eyeballs; within abdomen; in breasts.
Reticular 
Description---Network of reticular fibers in a typical loose ground substance; reticular cells lie on the network.
Function--- Fibers form a soft internal skeleton that supports other cell types including white blood cells, mast cells, and macrophages.
Location---Lymphoid organs ( lymph nodes, bone marrow and spleen).
Dense connective tissue:Dense regular
Description---Primarily parallel collagen fibers; a few elastic fibers; major cell type is the fibroblast.
Function---Attaches muscles to bones or to muscles; attaches bones to bones; withstands great tensile stress when pulling force is applied in one direction.
Location –Tendons, most ligaments, aponeuroses.
Dense irregular
Description--- Primarily irregularly arranged collagen fibers; some elastic fibers; major cell type is the fibroblast.
Function---Able to withstand tension exerted in many directions; provides structural strength.
Location--- Dermis of the skin; submucosa of digestive tract; fibrous capsules of organs and of joints.
Cartilage exists asHyaline 
Description--- Amorphous but firm matrix; collagen fibers form and imperceptible network; chondroblasts produce the matrix and when mature lie in lacunae.
Function---Supports and reinforces; has resilient cushioning properties; resists compressive stress.
Location--- Forms most of the embryonic skelton; cobers the ends of long bones in joint cavities; forms costal cartilages of the ribs; cartilages of the nose, trachea, and larynx.
Elastic cartilage
Description---Similar to hyaline cartilage, but more elastic fibers I matrix.
Function ---Maintains the shape of a structure while allowing great flexibility.
Location--- Supports the external ear; epiglottis.
Fibrocartilage
Description---Matrix similar to but less firm that that in hyaline cartilage; thick collagen fibers predominate.
Function---Tensile strength with the ability to absorb compressive shock.
Location--- Intervertebral discs; pubic symphysis; discs of knee joint.
Bone (osseous tissue)
Description ---Hard calcified matrix containing many collagen fibers, osteocytes lie in lacunae. Very well vascularized.
Function ---Bome supports and protects; provides levers for the muscles to act on; stores calcium and other minerals and fat; marrow inside bones is the site for blood cell formation.
Location--- Bones
Blood 
Description--- Red and white blood cells in a fluid matrix.
Function--- Transport of respiratory gases, nutrients, wastes and other substances.
Location--- Contained within blood vessels.
Nervous Tissue: 
Description---Neurons are branching cells; cell processes that may be quite long extend from the nucleus-containing cell body; also contributing to nervous tissue are nonirritable supporting cells.
Function ---Transmit electrical signals from sensory receptors and to effectors.
Location ---Brain, spinal cord and nerves.
Muscle Tissue:
Definition---highly cellular, well-vascularized tissues that are responsible for most types of body movement.
Types of muscle tissue based on the structure and function:
skeletal, cardiac, and smooth.
Skeletal muscle
Description---Long, cylindrical, multinucleate cells; obvious striations.
Function---Voluntary movement; locomotion; manipulation of the environment; facial expression; voluntary control.
Location--- I skeletal muscles attached to bones or occasionally to skin.
Cardiac muscle
Description--- Branching, striated, generally uninucleate cells that interdigitate at specialized junctions.
Function--- As it contracts, it propels blood into the circulation; involuntary control.
Location--- The walls of the heart.
Smooth muscle 
Description--- Spindle-shaped cells with central nuclei; no striations; cells arranged closely to form sheets.
Function--- Propels substances or objects (foodstuffs, urine, a baby) along internal passageways; involuntary control.
Location--- Mostly in the walls of hollow organs.