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Introduction To Histology
DEFINITION OF THE FIELD OF STUDY Histology is the study of tissue biology: the study of structure and function of each tissue type, how those tissues are combined to form the organs and systems of the body, and how those combinations function together. Tissues are groups of cells with similar structural and functional characteristics that function collectively within the multicellular organism. The same 4 basic tissue types are found in all but the simplest of multicellular animals: nerve, muscle, connective tissue, epithelium.
The basic subtypes of all tissue The basic subtypes of all tissue types are found throughout most vertebrates, and are combined in the same ways to form organs.
Smooth muscle: tissue component in walls of many internal organs: visceral organs such as digestive tract & vasculature or blood vessels; its contraction reduces the size of internal cavities of the structure or organ
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NERVE
electrically excitable tissue which receives stimuli, processes them, and transmits signals to target tissues to integrate the functions of the whole body. Nerve tissue has 2 major cellular components: neurons (nerve cells) and glia (support cells) Nerve tissues form the major anatomic components of the nervous system: central nervous system (brain & spinal cord) and peripheral nervous system (ganglia and periphral nerves) Major target tissues: muscle tissues and other
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EPITHELIUM
tissue organized as attached sheets of cells which line or cover all organ and body cavities and form tubular structures within many organs. Functions include separation/protection, absorption, and secretion. Separate contents of cavities from other organ tissues Regulate whether (and what) moves across the epithelium Epithelium has many subtypes; characteristic of specific organ systems Epithelia form the major tissue component of
CELL-CELL JUNCTIONS:
most found between cells of several tissues Adherens junctions: desmosomes and fascia adherens: anchor cell membranes to cytoskeletal filaments Gap junctions: communication between cells Tight junctions: seal membranes together; unique to epithelia
EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX
components and functions Variations key to several tissues' characteristics: bone and cartilage Basement membrane/basal lamina made by epithelial cells
Comparison of light and electron microscopy: Differences in methods of image creation; resolution; scales of magnification capacities Types of EM: Transmission EM (TEM), Scanning EM (SEM), Freeze-fracture EM Tissue preparation: Steps: Fixation -> dehydration -> infiltration with embedding medium -> Sectioning Staining/labeling of tissues: LM: Standard stain (dye) = H & E (Hematoylin & Eosin); Specialized stains include trichrome stains; metals Molecule-specific detection methods: enzyme histochemistry; immunohistochemistry EM: Standard: heavy metals (osmium tetroxide) create differences in electron-density Specialized immunohistochemistry/enzyme
3. MICROSCOPY BASICS