Basic Principles of Animal Form and Function

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Cartilage is a strong and flexible support material.

Fibrous connective tissue is found in tendons, which attach muscles to bones, and ligaments, which connect bones at joints.

Slide 18

Adipose tissue stores fat for insulation and fuel.

Blood is composed of blood cells and cell fragments in blood plasma.

Bone is mineralized and forms the skeleton.

Connective Tissue

Slide 19

Connective Tissue

Collagenous fiber

Loose

connective

tissue

Elastic fiber

120 µm

Cartilage

Chondrocytes

100 µm

Chondroitin

sulfate

Adipose

tissue

Fat droplets

150 µm

White blood cells

55 µm

Plasma

Red blood

cells

Blood

Nuclei

Fibrous

connective

tissue

30 µm

Osteon

Bone

Central canal

700 µm

Slide 20

Muscle Tissue

Muscle tissue consists of long cells called muscle fibers, which contract in response to nerve signals.

It is divided in the vertebrate body into three types:

Skeletal muscle, or striated muscle, is attached to bones and is responsible for voluntary movement.

Smooth muscle mainly lines internal organs and is responsible for involuntary body activities.

Cardiac muscle is responsible for contraction of the heart.

Slide 21

Muscle Tissue

50 µm

Skeletal

muscle

Multiple

nuclei

Muscle fiber

Sarcomere

100 µm

Smooth

muscle

Cardiac muscle

Nucleus

Muscle

fibers

25 µm

Nucleus

Intercalated

disk

Slide 22

Nervous Tissue

Nervous tissue senses stimuli and transmits signals throughout the animal.

Nervous tissue contains:

Neurons, or nerve cells, that transmit nerve impulses.

Glial cells, or glia, that help nourish, insulate, and replenish neurons.

Slide 23

Glial cells

Nervous Tissue

15 µm

Dendrites

Cell body

Axon

Neuron

Axons

Blood vessel

40 µm

Slide 24

Dendrites

Cell body

Axon

40 µm

Neuron

Slide 25

Coordination and Control

Control and coordination within a body depend on the endocrine system and the nervous system.

The endocrine system transmits chemical signals called hormones to receptive cells throughout the body via blood.