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HOW MANY TISSUES ARE FOUND IN A HUMAN BODY?
A tissue is a group of cells that have a similar shape and function.  Different types of tissues can be found in different organs.  In humans, there are four basic types of tissue:  epithelial, connective, muscular, and nervous tissue.
Connective tissue is made up of cells and protein fibers and provides support for other body tissues. The main proteins in connective tissue are collagen and elastin.
 There are five types of connective tissue. They are:
    Loose connective tissue: including adipose tissue (fat storage)
    Dense connective tissue
    Blood
    Bone
    Cartilage

Epithelial Tissue

Epithelial tissue, often called epithelium, is comprised of tightly packed cells, arranged to form layers. Epithelium provides many functions, including absorption, excretion, protection, reproduction, secretion and sensory reception.

Epithelial cells are constantly renewing and replacing the dead or inactive cells. The two main epithelial tissue types are:

    Glandular: found in exocrine and endocrine glands
    Lining epithelium: forms the outer layer of the skin and in some internal organs

Muscular Tissue

Muscle tissue provides stability to the skeleton and internal organs and allows body movement. Muscle tissue makes up approximately 60% of the body’s mass and there are three types of muscle tissue. These are:

    Cardiac: found in the heart
    Skeletal: usually attached to bone
    Smooth: found in walls of blood vessels in digestive system, respiratory system and the eye.

Nervous System Tissue

The nervous system is made up of the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS). Comprised of neural and nervous tissue, the CNS and PNS transmit signals from the brain to the body parts (muscles, glands, sense organs) to activate a response.

Lymphatic Tissue

Lymphatic, or lymphoid tissue is found at the entrance of the digestive system, respiratory system and urogenital tracts. The lymphoid tissue provides protection as a first line of defense for these areas.

Membranes

Membranes are thin layers of tissue that provide a surface lining or protective surface to organs or body structures. There are four types of membranes. They are:

    Cutaneous: pertaining to the skin
    Mucous: the lubricating membrane lining an internal surface or organ. An example of mucous membrane would be the gums.
    Serous: thin membranes that line cavities that secrete serous fluid. An example would be the peritoneum.
    Synovial: dense connective tissue membrane that secretes synovial fluid.


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