Anatomy

Study of the structure and organization of living organisms.

Levels of Organization in the BodyMajor Organ SystemsAnatomical Terminology and Body Orientation
Microscopic Anatomy: Tissues and CellsComparative AnatomyAnatomy and Disease
Medical Imaging and AnatomyDissection and Hands-On LearningAnatomy in Sports and Fitness
Labeling DiagramsMnemonic Devices
Levels of Organizati...Major Organ SystemsAnatomical Terminolo...Microscopic Anatomy:...Comparative AnatomyAnatomy and DiseaseMedical Imaging and ...Dissection and Hands...Anatomy in Sports an...Labeling DiagramsMnemonic Devices
Advanced Topics

Microscopic Anatomy: Tissues and Cells

A Closer Look: Cells and Tissues

Anatomy isn't just about big organs—we also study what things look like under a microscope!

Four Basic Types of Tissues

  1. Epithelial Tissue: Covers surfaces and lines organs (like skin and the lining of your stomach).
  2. Connective Tissue: Supports and connects (like bone, blood, and fat).
  3. Muscle Tissue: Contracts to cause movement.
  4. Nervous Tissue: Sends electrical signals for communication.

What About Cells?

Each tissue is made of specialized cells. For example, neurons are nerve cells, and osteocytes are bone cells.

Why Is This Important?

Understanding tissues and cells helps us figure out how diseases start, how organs repair themselves, and how the body grows.

Fun Fact

The human brain has about 86 billion neurons!

Examples

  • Looking at skin cells under a microscope shows layers of epithelial tissue.

  • Muscle tissue appears as long, stretchy fibers in microscope slides.

In a Nutshell

Microscopic anatomy studies tissues and cells to understand how organs function.

Key Terms

Histology
The study of tissues under a microscope.
Neuron
A specialized cell that transmits nerve impulses.
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Comparative Anatomy