Plant & Animal Tissues Complete Study Notes | Concise B

■ KEY DEFINITIONS (Learn These!)

Must-know terms for the exam

Term Definition

Tissue A group of similar cells performing a specific function

Organ Several tissues together contributing to a specific function (e.g. tongue)

Organ System Many organs acting together for a life process (e.g. digestive system)

Meristem Tissue at growing points; cells can divide to produce new cells

Chlorenchyma Parenchyma cells with chloroplasts; help in photosynthesis

Perikaryon / Cyton Cell body of a neuron that contains the nucleus

Dendrites / Dendrons Hair-like extensions from neuron cell body; receive impulses

Axon Long single extension of a neuron; axons bundled together = nerve

Neurolemma Outer covering of the nerve fibre (axon)

Osteoblasts Living cells found in bone tissue

Tracheary elements Tracheids + Vessels (collectively)

■ PLANT TISSUES
Plant tissues are of two basic types:

• A. Meristematic tissue – actively dividing cells

• B. Permanent tissue – non-dividing, specialised cells

A. MERISTEMATIC TISSUE (Meristem)

Location: All growing points of a plant — tips of roots, stems & branches; between bark & wood.

Chief Characteristics (8 Points):

1. Cells are small
2. Cells are usually cubical
3. Cell wall is thin
4. Nuclei are large
5. Vacuoles almost absent

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 6. Cells tightly packed — almost no intercellular spaces
7. Cells actively divide, adding new cells to the plant
8. New cells are transformed into mature permanent tissues

Type Location Function

Apical / Terminal Meristem Tips of roots, stems, axillary buds Increases length of plant

Lateral / Cambium Meristem Below the bark Increases girth (diameter) of stem

B. PERMANENT TISSUES
Cells have lost their ability to divide. May be living (nucleus present) or dead (nucleus absent).
Three types: Protective, Supporting and Conducting

1. Protective Tissue
• Cells with thick walls; found on surface of roots, stems and leaves
• Examples: Epidermis of leaves (secretes waxy waterproof material); Cork cells in barks

2. Supporting Tissue (Simple Tissues — one cell type)

Tissue Cell Type Location Function

(a) Parenchyma Large thin-walled; Soft parts — cortex & Food storage; temporary
oval/circular; single large pith support; photosynthesis
vacuole (chlorenchyma)

(b) Collenchyma Elongated; cell wall thickened Leaf stalks; below Mechanical support to
(collen = glue) at corners epidermis of stems plant parts

(c) Sclerenchyma Long, narrow, DEAD cells; Stems & veins of leaves Strength to plant parts;
(scleros = hard) very thick walls — lignin fibres & stone cells
deposited

■■ Parenchyma + Collenchyma + Sclerenchyma = SIMPLE TISSUES (one cell type each)

3. Conducting Tissue (Vascular / Complex Tissue)

Provides passage for water and dissolved materials to move up and down the plant. Xylem and Phloem are the
two types.
They are also called Complex Tissues because they are made of more than one type of cell.

(a) XYLEM
Elongated, thick-walled cells in tubular passages. Provides upward movement of water & dissolved minerals
from soil to other parts. Older xylem = wood. Age of tree = count annual/xylem rings.

Component Description

Tracheids Elongated dead cells; large cavities; highly lignified cell walls; provide
mechanical support

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Component Description

Xylem Vessels / Tracheae Long tube-like; transport water & dissolved minerals; transverse walls
dissolved → continuous water pipe

Xylem Parenchyma Living cells; store food (sugars & starch); help in conduction of water and
minerals

Xylem Fibres Dead sclerenchyma cells; thick-walled, long, narrow with tapering ends;
provide mechanical support

(b) PHLOEM (phloos = bark)

Provides downward movement of food from leaves to all parts of plant. Also provides upward movement of
food towards growing new leaves.

Component Description

Sieve Tubes Elongated cells end to end; transverse walls (sieve plates) perforated;
transport food

Companion Cells Living parenchyma cells closely associated with sieve tubes; help sieve tubes
function

Phloem Parenchyma Storage of starch, fat and other organic food material

Phloem Fibres Sclerenchymatous cells; mainly provide support

■ Xylem + Phloem = COMPLEX TISSUES (more than one type of cell)

■ Xylem + Phloem together form VASCULAR BUNDLES (veins of leaves are examples)
■ Xylem → conducts WATER upward | Phloem → conducts FOOD downward

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 ■ ANIMAL TISSUES
The four main kinds of animal tissue:
1. Epithelial tissue 2. Connective tissue 3. Muscle tissue 4. Nervous tissue

1. EPITHELIAL TISSUE
A thin, protective, continuous sheet of cells.
Location: Covers surface of body; lines body cavities, internal organs, and blood vessels.
Shape: Flat (squamous), cuboidal, or columnar. Cells fit tightly with no space between them.
Functions: Protection, absorption, secretion, sensory perception.

Type Cell Structure Location

(a) Squamous Epithelium Thin, flat cells; prominent nuclei; Mouth, nasal cavities, blood vessels,
closely packed lymph vessels

(b) Cuboidal Epithelium Cube-like cells Parts of kidney tubules; glandular ducts
(salivary, pancreatic)

(c) Columnar Epithelium Tall, cylindrical/brick-like cells Inner lining of stomach and intestines

(d) Stratified Epithelium Several layers — same or different Skin and cornea
epithelial cells

(i) Ciliated Columnar Has thread-like projections = cilia at Lining of trachea (wind pipe)
free ends

(ii) Glandular Epithelium Large cells that secrete chemical Lining of stomach, intestine; sweat
substances; folded inward to form glands, tear glands, liver
glands

2. CONNECTIVE TISSUE
Binds one tissue with another; connects various organs; keeps them in proper places.
Three characteristics: (i) Abundance of intercellular substance — the matrix, (ii) Fewer cellular elements, (iii)
Fibres.

I. Connective Tissue Proper

Sub-type Key Feature Location / Products

(a) Areolar (Packing) Most widely spread; makes skin Beneath epidermis of skin
Tissue elastic

(b) Adipose (Fat) Tissue Specialised cells store fat; acts as Padding under skin, around kidneys, eye
insulation for retaining body heat ball

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Sub-type Key Feature Location / Products

(c) Fibrous Connective Elongated 'fibre' cells bundled Forms TENDONS (muscle→bone) and
Tissue together LIGAMENTS (bone→bone)

II. Supportive Connective Tissue

Type Porous? Blood Vessels? Key Features

(a) Cartilage Non-porous NONE (no blood Semi-transparent & elastic; thickened matrix.
vessels or nerves) Found in: tip of nose, external ears, trachea,
bronchial tubes, between vertebrae, ends of
long bones

(b) Bone Hard & Good supply Contains living cells (OSTEOBLASTS) + rigid
POROUS mass of inorganic salts

III. Fluid Connective Tissue

(a) Blood is composed of:
• Liquid part — Plasma
• Cellular part — Red Blood Cells (Erythrocytes), White Blood Cells (Leucocytes) and Platelets
(Thrombocytes)

(b) Lymph — Fluid surrounding body cells. Essentially blood plasma that has oozed out of blood
vessels.
• Contains WBCs but NOT RBCs
• Composition: Plasma + WBCs

Both blood and lymph are concerned with TRANSPORTATION and IMMUNITY (protection against diseases).

3. MUSCLE TISSUE
Forms muscles of the body. Muscles can contract and relax → help in movements.

Feature Striated Unstriated Cardiac

Also called Skeletal / Striped / Smooth / Unstriped / Heart muscle

Voluntary Involuntary

Control Under our will NOT under our will Involuntary

(VOLUNTARY)

Cell shape Long fibres; Spindle-shaped; Short; UNINUCLEATED;

MULTINUCLEATED UNINUCLEATED BRANCHED

Striations Light & dark bands ✓ No striations ✗ Striated ✓

Gets tired? Yes No NEVER gets tired

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Feature Striated Unstriated Cardiac

Special feature ~50% of body weight — Intercalated discs;

contracts without outside
stimulation

Location Arms, legs, face, neck Intestine, iris, skin, blood Walls of HEART ONLY
vessels, uterus, bladder

4. NERVOUS / NEURAL TISSUE

Constitutes the nervous system. Made of specialised elongated cells called neurons (nerve cells). Concerned
with perception and responses of animals.

Structure of a Neuron:

Part Description

Cell body (Perikaryon/Cyton) Contains the nucleus

Dendrites / Dendrons One or more elongated hair-like extensions; receive impulses

Axon One long extension; may be up to 1 metre (3 metres in elephant)

Neurolemma Outer covering of the nerve fibre (axon)

Myelin Sheath Covering inside the neurolemma

Node of Ranvier Gaps in the myelin sheath

Nissl Granules Granules in the cell body

Axon endings Terminal ends of the axon

■ AXONS bundled together = a NERVE

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 ■ IMPORTANT TRUE / FALSE

Statement Answer

Axons of nerve cells are very long TRUE ✓

Dendrons bundled together form a nerve FALSE ✗ (Axons do)

FALSE ✗ (They never

Cardiac muscles get tired soon
tire)

Epithelial cells leave space in between FALSE ✗ (No space)

FALSE ✗ (It is the cell

Perikaryon is the nucleus of a nerve cell
body)

FALSE ✗ (Involuntary/
Muscles of the iris of the eye are voluntary
unstriated)

Cartilage has no blood vessels or nerves in it TRUE ✓

Phloem cells carry manufactured food from leaves TRUE ✓

Veins of leaves have both xylem and phloem TRUE ✓

Older xylem tissue does not participate in transport TRUE ✓

Sclerenchyma consists of actively dividing cells FALSE ✗ (Dead cells)

■ LIKELY EXAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Q1. Define tissue.

A group of similar cells performing a specific function.

Q2. What is the difference between xylem and phloem?

Xylem conducts water and minerals UPWARD from roots. Phloem conducts food DOWNWARD from leaves to
all parts of the plant.

Q3. Differences between striated and unstriated muscles.

Striated: voluntary, multinucleated, have dark/light bands, found in arms/legs. | Unstriated: involuntary,
uninucleated, spindle-shaped, found in intestines, iris, blood vessels, etc.

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Q4. Special features of cardiac muscle.

(i) Involuntary (ii) Striated but uninucleated and branched (iii) Can contract without outside stimulation (iv)
NEVER gets tired (v) Found ONLY in walls of the heart (vi) Has intercalated discs.

Q5. Differentiate between bone and cartilage.

Bone: hard, porous, has blood vessels and nerves, contains osteoblasts + inorganic salts. | Cartilage:
non-porous, NO blood vessels or nerves, semi-transparent and elastic, has matrix.

Q6. Difference between tendons and ligaments.

Tendons connect MUSCLE to BONE. Ligaments connect BONE to BONE and hold them in position. Both are
made of fibrous connective tissue.

Q7. What is lymph? How does it differ from blood?

Lymph = fluid surrounding body cells = blood plasma that has oozed from blood vessels. It contains WBCs but
NOT RBCs. Blood contains plasma, RBCs, WBCs and platelets.

Q8. Name the four components of xylem.

Tracheids, Xylem Vessels (Tracheae), Xylem Parenchyma, Xylem Fibres. (Tracheids + Vessels = Tracheary
elements)

Q9. Name the four components of phloem.

Sieve Tubes, Companion Cells, Phloem Parenchyma, Phloem Fibres.

Q10. Write one speciality of each — Cartilage / Bone / Striated / Cardiac muscle.

Cartilage: no blood vessels or nerves; semi-transparent and elastic. | Bone: hard porous tissue with good
blood and nerve supply. | Striated: voluntary; constitutes ~50% body weight. | Cardiac: never gets tired;
contracts without outside stimulation.

Q11. What is chlorenchyma?

Parenchyma cells containing chloroplasts; they help in photosynthesis. Found particularly in the leaf.

Q12. Give one example each of: Ciliated columnar epithelium / Elastic cartilage / Unstriated muscles.

Ciliated columnar epithelium → Trachea (wind pipe). | Elastic cartilage → External ear (pinna). | Unstriated
muscles → Intestine / Iris of the eye.

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Q13. Name tissue in which: cells are flat/cuboidal/columnar protective layer / cells produce & pour out
chemicals / cells contract & relax / cells conduct impulses.

Protective layer → Epithelial tissue. | Produce chemicals → Glandular epithelium. | Contract & relax → Muscle
tissue. | Conduct impulses → Nervous tissue.

■ MEMORY TRICKS

■ SCP = Supporting tissues: Sclerenchyma, Collenchyma, Parenchyma

■ TL = Fibrous tissue forms: Tendons (muscle→bone), Ligaments (bone→bone)

■ CARDIAC = CAN'T REST → never gets tired!

■ LYMPH = NO RED → no RBCs, only WBCs + plasma

■ XYLEM = Up (water) | PHLOEM = Down (food)

■ Areolar = ELASTIC SKIN → most widely spread connective tissue

■ 4 Xylem parts = TV PF: Tracheids, Vessels, Parenchyma, Fibres

■ 4 Phloem parts = SCPP: Sieve tubes, Companion cells, Parenchyma, Phloem fibres

Good luck on your test tomorrow! ■

Revise the comparison tables and True/False section right before bed — they are the most commonly tested.

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