What are Tissues?

 Definition: Tissues are groups of cells with similar shapes and functions that work together to perform a
specific function.
 Hierarchy: Cells combine to form tissues, tissues form organs, organs form organ systems, and organ systems
form a complete organism.

Differences Between Plant and Animal Tissues

Plants and animals have different types of cells and therefore different types of tissues due to their
distinct characteristics.


Plants:

o Stationary/Fixed: They do not move from one place to another.
o Limited Growth Regions: Growth occurs in specific areas like shoots and roots.
o Low Energy Requirement: Require less energy for survival as they are fixed.
o Mostly Dead Tissues: A majority of plant tissues are dead.


Animals:

o Mobile: They move from one place to another.
o Growth in All Parts: Growth typically occurs throughout their body.
o High Energy Requirement: Need more energy for survival due to movement.
o Mostly Living Tissues: Most animal tissues are alive.

Plant Tissues
Plant tissues are broadly classified into two main types:
1.

Meristematic Tissue:
2.

o Simple Living Tissue: Found in the growing regions of plants.

o Cell Division: Cells in these tissues continuously divide to form new cells.
o Locations: Roots, growing branches, and other growth regions.
o Types of Meristematic Tissue:
 Apical Meristem:
 Location: Growing tips of stems and roots.
 Function: Helps in the elongation (primary growth) of stems and roots.
 Lateral Meristem:
 Location: Present in the longitudinal axis of the plant.
 Function: Develops vascular tissues (transport tissues) and increases the girth
(width) of stems and roots (secondary growth).
 Intercalary Meristem:
 Location: Found in the internodes of plants.
 Function: Helps in the overall longitudinal growth of the plant's stem.

3.

Permanent Tissue:
4.

o Non-Dividing Cells: Formed from cells that can no longer divide.

o Definite Shape, Size, and Thickness: Have fixed characteristics.
o Can be Dead or Living.
o Types of Permanent Tissue:
 Simple Permanent Tissue:
 Definition: Composed of similar types of cells performing similar functions.
 Types of Simple Permanent Tissue:
 Protective Tissues:
 Epidermis:
 Structure: Outer single-cell layer covering plant organs
(leaves, flowers, roots). Covered by a waterproof layer
called cuticle. Contains small pores called stomata flanked
by kidney-shaped guard cells.
 Functions:
 Gaseous Exchange: Stomata allow exchange of
gases (CO2 in, O2 out) during photosynthesis.
 Protection: Protects plants from desiccation and
infection.
 Transpiration: Stomata help in transpiration (loss
of water vapor).
 Cork/Phellem:
 Structure: Outer covering of tree stems, made of dead
cells with no intercellular space. Contains a waxy
substance called suberin in its cell walls, making it
impermeable. Lacks protoplast.
 Functions:
 Toughness and Protection: Provides toughness
and protects the plant from infection and
mechanical injury.
 Shock Absorber and Insulator: Absorbs shock
and helps keep the plant cool.
 Commercial Use: Used to make sports goods.
 Supporting Tissues:
 Definition: Provide support to plants.
 Types of Supporting Tissues:
 Parenchyma:
 Structure: Living cells with thin cell walls, oval or
spherical, and a large vacuole.
 Location: Leaves, roots, and pith of stems.
 Functions: Stores food, provides turgidity (water
retention) to cells, helps in photosynthesis,
repairs wounds and facilitates new growth, and
controls buoyancy in aquatic plants.
 Collenchyma:
 Structure: Living cells with thickened cell walls at
the corners. Forms soft parts of plants.
 Location: Cortex of primary stems, pith, below
root epidermis.
 Functions: Provides flexibility to plant parts,
offers mechanical support, and fills vacant spaces
in plants.
 Sclerenchyma:
 Structure: Strength tissue with dead cells and
very thick cell walls made of lignin (a hard
substance).
 Location: Vascular bundles in stems, veins of
leaves, hard coverings of seeds and nuts.
 Function: Provides strength to plant parts.
 Complex Permanent Tissue:
 Definition: Composed of more than one type of cell working together as a unit. Also
known as conducting or vascular tissues (transportation tissues).
 Function: Transport organic materials, water, and minerals up and down the plant.
 Types of Complex Permanent Tissue:
 Xylem:
 Function: Transports water and dissolved nutrients from the roots
upwards.
 Components/Cells:
  Tracheids: Elongated, dead cells involved in water
transport.
 Vessels: Cylindrical, tube-like structures stacked one
above another, forming channels for water transport
(main role).
 Xylem Parenchyma: Thick cells that store carbohydrates,
lipids, or food (starch).
 Xylem Sclerenchyma: Non-living fibers with thick cell
walls that provide mechanical support to the xylem.
 Phloem:
 Function: Transports sugars and metabolic products throughout
the plant. Food and organic compounds are transported both
upwards and downwards, primarily from the leaves.
 Components/Cells:
 Sieve Tubes: Transport organic compounds or food
produced during photosynthesis.
 Companion Cells: Regulate sugar activity within sieve
tubes, deciding the direction of food transport. Associated
with sieve tubes.
 Phloem Fibers: Present near sieve tubes and provide
mechanical support to them.
 Phloem Parenchyma: Thick cells that store food.

Animal Tissues
Animal tissues are specialized and found only in animals. There are four main types of animal
tissues:
1.

Epithelial Tissue:
2.

o Structure: Single-layer cells, lacking blood vessels.

o Location: Covers all organs (skin, mouth lining, blood vessel lining, kidney tubules).
o Types of Epithelial Tissue:
 Squamous Epithelium:
 Structure: Cells arranged end-to-end like floor tiles. Epithelial cells forming the skin
are arranged in layers to prevent mechanical loss.
 Location: Blood vessels, tongue covering, skin, linings of cavities (mouth, esophagus,
nose, alveoli).
 Cuboidal Epithelium:
 Structure: Cube-shaped cells.
 Location: Kidneys, thyroid vessels, salivary glands, sweat glands. Also forms germinal
epithelium (outer layer) of private parts (testis, ovary).
 Function: Provides mechanical support to epithelial tissue.
 Columnar Epithelium:
 Structure: Pillar-like structure with thread-like structures on its surface.
 Location: Forms the lining of the stomach and plays a role in the formation of small
and large intestines.
 Function: Helps in absorption.
 Stratified Squamous Epithelium:
 Structure: Multiple layers of squamous epithelium arranged together.
 Location: Uterus and esophagus (food pipe).

3.

Connective Tissue:
4.

o Definition: Cells spread throughout the body, connecting and supporting different organs.
o Types of Connective Tissue:
  Areolar Tissue:
 Location: Skin, around blood vessels, nerves, and bone marrow.
 Function: Fills internal organs.
 Adipose Tissue:
 Location: Below the outer skin, around heart, brain, and eyeballs.
 Function: Acts as an insulator, preventing heat loss from the body.
 Skeletal Tissue:
 Components:
 Bones: Forms the body's framework, provides support. Non-flexible, made
of calcium and phosphorus.
 Ligaments: Connects two bones, highly flexible.
 Tendons: Connects muscles to bones. Made of strong fibers with limited
flexibility.
 Cartilage: More flexible and less hard than bones, made of protein and
sugar. Present in nose, ear, and larynx.
 Fluid/Vascular Tissue:
 Blood:
 Function: Transports gases, hormones, and organic substances.
 Components: Fluid matrix called plasma, containing RBCs (Red Blood Cells),
WBCs (White Blood Cells), and Platelets. Also contains proteins, salts, and
hormones.
 RBCs: Contain hemoglobin (red respiratory pigment) which transports
oxygen and gives blood its red color.
 WBCs: Protect the body from harmful substances. A deficiency weakens the
immune system.
 Platelets: Involved in blood clotting (forming a blood clot to stop bleeding
after injury).

5.

Muscular Tissue:
6.

o Function: Responsible for movement in the body. Capable of relaxation and contraction.
o Types of Muscular Tissue:
 Striated Muscles:
 Location: Attached to bones via tendons.
 Control: Voluntary (under our control).
 Structure: Multinucleated cells (more than one nucleus). Contain contractile protein
for movement.
 Characteristics: Can get tired, require rest. Can be grown through exercise and diet.
 Smooth Muscles:
 Control: Involuntary (not under our control).
 Structure: Uninucleated cells (one nucleus per cell). Spindle-shaped (broader in
middle, tapered at ends).
 Location: Iris of the eye, internal organs like bronchi, intestines, stomach walls.
 Cardiac Muscles:
 Location: Only found in the heart.
 Control: Involuntary.
 Structure: Uninucleated cells.
 Characteristics: Undergo rhythmic contraction and relaxation throughout life.
Cessation of this activity leads to immediate death.

7.

Nervous Tissue:
8.

o Also known as: Neuron Tissue.

o Location: Brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
o Function: Rapidly transmits information throughout the body, controls and coordinates body activities,
plays a major role in emotions and memory.
o Components: Made of nerve cells called neurons.
 Neuron Parts: Dendrite, Nucleus, Axon, Nerve Ending.