Body tissue

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The term “body tissue” is often used when discussing human anatomy, but do you know what the term actually means? A tissue is a substance that is made from the same type of cell, so that muscle tissue consists of muscle cells, etc. However, some tissues include materials other than cells. Connective tissues are made from particular cells (e.g. fibroblasts) but also contain protein in long fibres and a matrix material in which the fibres and cells are set. Connective tissues hold all other types of tissue in place. Bone and blood are both examples of connective tissue (the illustration is of bone connective tissue). Epithelial tissue supplies linings and coverings, including the skin. It comprises three types of cell – columnar (meaning pillar-like), cuboid (box-like) and squamous (flat). Nerve tissue comprises nerve cells (neurons) and a coating of Schwann cells. The heart is muscle that contains not only muscle cells but also epithelial and connective tissue. The lungs consist mainly of lung tissue but the airways are lined by mucous membranes that are epithelial tissue.