Tissues

What are Tissues?

Tissues are groups of similar cells performing a specific function. Cells form tissues, tissues
form organs, organs form organ systems, and organ systems form organisms.

Utility of Tissues in Multicellular Organisms

Provide defined structure
Provide mechanical strength
Facilitate division of labor, leading to the formation of different organs that perform various
functions.

Plant Tissues
Plant tissues are of two main types: meristematic and permanent.

Meristematic Tissue

Meristematic tissues are dividing tissues responsible for plant growth.

Characteristics:
Spherical, oval, polygonal, or rectangular
Very active
Thin cellulose walls
Few or no vacuoles
Dense cytoplasm and prominent nuclei
Types based on location:
Apical: Located at the growing tips of stems and roots. Responsible for elongation of
stems and roots (primary growth).
Shoot Apical Meristem: Tip of stem
Root Apical Meristem: Tip of root
Lateral: Found beneath the bark and in vascular dicot roots and stems. Causes increase in
diameter and girth (secondary growth).
Intercalary: Located at the base of leaves and internodes. Produces increase in the length
of organs like leaves.
Contribute to healing of wounds because cells can divide.

Permanent Tissue

Permanent tissues are non-dividing tissues formed when meristematic tissues differentiate.
 Characteristics:
Cells cannot divide
Types:
Simple Permanent Tissue
Complex Permanent Tissue

Simple Permanent Tissue

Made up of one type of cell.

Parenchyma:
Most common simple permanent tissue
Rounded or isodiametric cells
Living cells
Loosely arranged (large intercellular spaces)
Thin cell wall
Widely distributed in stems, roots, and leaves.
Functions:
Stores food
Packing tissue to fill spaces
Transport of materials
Stores waste products
Maintains shape and firmness due to turgid cells
Types:
Chlorenchyma: Contains chlorophyll and performs photosynthesis.
Aerenchyma: Contains air spaces, providing buoyancy (e.g., in aquatic plants like the
Lotus).

Collenchyma:
Living cells
Intercellular spaces generally absent
Elongated cells
Often contains chloroplasts
Located below the epidermis of dicotyledon stems and petioles and in the midribs of dicot
leaves.
Functions:
Provides mechanical support and elasticity
Allows easy bending without breaking
Manufactures sugar and starch (if chloroplasts are present)

Sclerenchyma:
Dead cells, devoid of protoplasm
Cell walls greatly thickened with lignin
Closely packed cells without intercellular spaces
Occurs in patches or definite layers in stems, roots, veins of leaves, and hard coverings of
seeds and nuts.
Functions:
Gives strength, rigidity, flexibility, and elasticity to plant body
Protective Tissues

Provide protection to the plant from loss of water and infection.

Epidermis:
Outer covering of plants, covered with a cuticle
Outermost layer, usually made of a single layer of cells
Functions:
Protects from desiccation (drying out) and infection
Prevents water loss
Epidermal cells of leaves bear small pores called stomata, enclosed by guard cells,
necessary for gas exchange.
In roots, increases surface area for better absorption.

Cork (Phellem):
Protective tissue found in the outer bark of woody plants, particularly in trees with
secondary growth.
Dead, water-resistant, and durable tissue.
Contains suberin, a waxy substance that makes the tissue impervious to water and gases.

Complex Permanent Tissue

Consist of more than one type of cell coordinating to perform a common function.

Xylem: Transports water and minerals.

Consists of tracheids, vessels, xylem parenchyma, and xylem fibers.
Tracheids and vessels have tubular structures for vertical transport.
Xylem parenchyma stores food.
Xylem fibers provide support.
Tracheids, Vessels, and Xylem Fibers are dead.
Xylem Parenchyma is living.
Phloem: Transports food from leaves to other parts of the plant.
Made up of sieve cells, sieve tubes, companion cells, phloem fibers, and phloem
parenchyma.
Sieve tubes are tubular cells with perforated walls (sieve plates).
Except for phloem fibers, other phloem cells are living.
Sieve Tubes and Companion Cells do not have nuclei.
Floem Fiber is dead; all other cells are living.

Animal Tissues
Animal tissues are of four main types: epithelial, connective, muscular, and nervous.

Epithelial Tissue
Covers or protects organs and forms a barrier to keep body systems separate.

Tightly packed cells in a continuous sheet with little intercellular space.

Has a single layer of cells; anything entering or leaving the body must cross at least one layer.

Separated from underlying tissue by an extracellular fibrous basement membrane.

Primarily protective in function.

Non-nervous.

Types:
Squamous Epithelium:
Cells are arranged in a single layer.
Found in the esophagus and lining of the mouth, walls of blood vessels.
Forms delicate lining.
Stratified Squamous Epithelium:
Cells are arranged in multiple layers.
Found in the skin.
Prevents wear and tear.
Cuboidal Epithelium:
Cube-shaped cells placed on a basement membrane.
Found in the lining of kidney tubules and ducts of salivary glands.
Helps in absorption of useful materials from urine before it's passed out.
Columnar Epithelium:
Tall and cylindrical cells.
Found in the inner lining of the stomach and intestines.
Absorbs nutrients from digested food.
Ciliated Columnar Epithelium:
Cells have hair-like projections (cilia) on the outer surface.
Found in the respiratory tract and fallopian tubes.
Helps in the movement of particles (e.g., pushing mucus forward in the respiratory
tract).

Muscular Tissue
Responsible for movement in the body.

Consists of elongated cells called muscle fibers.

Cytoplasm is called sarcoplasm.
Types:
Skeletal Muscles (Striated/Voluntary):
Long, cylindrical, unbranched, and multinucleated.
Found mostly attached to bones.
Helps in voluntary muscle movement and locomotion.
Get tired and need rest.
Smooth Muscle (Non-Striated/Involuntary):
Long cells with pointed ends and uninucleated.
Found in the iris of the eye, uterus, digestive tract, and other internal organs.
Carry out involuntary movements (e.g., movement of food in the alimentary canal).
Cardiac Muscle:
Cylindrical, branched, and uninucleated.
Found only in the walls of the heart.
Rhythmic contraction and relaxation help to pump and distribute blood to various parts
of the body.
Do not get tired.

Connective Tissue

Connects different parts of the body, provides support, and transports substances.

Cells are loosely spaced and embedded in an intercellular matrix.

Matrix can be jelly-like, fluid, dense, or rigid.
Types:
Loose Connective Tissue:
Cells are embedded in a loose, gel-like matrix.
Areolar:
Found between skin and muscles and around blood vessels and nerves.
Fills space inside organs, supports internal organs, and helps in tissue repair.
Adipose:
Found below the skin and between internal organs.
Cells are filled with fat globules, storing fat and acting as an insulator.

Dense Connective Tissue:

Cells are embedded in a dense matrix.
Tendons: Connect muscles to bones (non-elastic, white in color).
Ligaments: Connect bones to bones (elastic, yellow in color).

Skeletal Connective Tissue: Forms the endoskeleton.

Cartilage: Has an extensive matrix of protein and sugar. Found in the nose tip and ear
pinnae. Provides support and flexibility.
Bone: Strong and non-flexible, embedded in a hard matrix of calcium and phosphorus
compounds. Forms the framework that supports the body, anchors muscles, and
supports organs.
Fluid Connective Tissue:
 Blood: Composed of blood cells (RBCs, WBCs, and platelets) moving in a liquid matrix
(plasma). Transports gases, digested food, hormones, and waste materials.
RBCs (Red Blood Corpuscles): Contains hemoglobin that transports oxygen.
WBCs (White Blood Corpuscles): Fights infection.
Platelets: Involved in blood clotting.
Lymph: Colourless fluid containing one type of WBC.

Nervous Tissue

Receives stimuli and transmits it from one part of the tissue to another.

Cells are called nerve cells or neurons, specialized for receiving and transmitting stimuli.
Found in the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
Neuron Structure:
Cell Body (Cyton): Contains the nucleus and cytoplasm.
Axon: Transmits impulses away from the cell body.
Dendrites: Carry information from their tips towards the axon.

Key Differences
Plant vs. Animal TissuesFeaturePlant TissueAnimal
TissueMovementStationaryMoveMuscular
TissueAbsentPresentDead CellsMostly dead cellsMostly
living cellsGrowthLimited to specific regionsGrowth in all
directionsComplexitySimpler organizationComplex
organization

Xylem vs. PhloemFeatureXylemPhloemTransportWater &

MineralsFoodDirectionUnidirectionalBidirectionalLiving/
DeadMostly DeadMostly LivingMechanical
StrengthProvides Plant StrengthSupports Sieve Tube only

Tendons vs.
LigamentsFeatureTendonsLigamentsConnectsMuscle to
BoneBone to BoneElasticityNon-
ElasticElasticFunctionBone MovementStability &
HoldingColorWhiteYellow
Bone vs. CartilageFeatureBoneCartilageHardnessStrong
and Non-FlexibleSoft and ElasticCompositionCalcium
and PhosphorusProtein and
SugarGrowthUnidirectionalBy
DirectionalMatrixLammelarHomogenous

Areolar vs. AdiposeFeatureAreolarAdiposeFunctionFills

spaces, supportsFat storage, insulationLocationBetween
skin/muscle, vesselsBelow skin, around
organsCompositionAir, [Link] globules