Science: Kovid Khandelwal: +91 9891423276

PRATIBHA GUPTA CLASSES

Address: 10/3 East Patel Nagar
9873220575, 011-41838070
Tissues
Multi-cellular organisms show division of labor. Cells specializing in one function are often grouped together
in the body. This means that a particular function is carried out by a cluster of cells at a definite place in the
body. This cluster of cells, called a tissue, is arranged and designed so as to give the highest possible
efficiency of function.
Plant Tissues Animal Tissues
Most of the tissues they have are supportive, which Animals on the other hand move around in search
provides them with structural strength as plants are of food, mates and shelter. They consume more
stationary. energy as compared to plants.
Most of these tissues are dead, since dead cells can Most of the tissues are living.
provide mechanical strength as easily as live ones,
and need less maintenance.
The growth in plants is limited to certain regions The growth in animals is even and diffused.
and is localized.

Plant Tissues
Meristematic Tissues
The growth of plants occurs only in certain specific regions. This is because the
dividing tissue, also known as meristematic tissue, is located only at these points.
Depending on the region where they are present, meristematic tissues are classified
as apical, lateral and intercalary.
 Apical meristem: Present at the growing tips of stems and roots. Important
function: To increase the length of stems and roots.
 Intercalary meristem: Present at the base of leaves or internodes. Important function: For the
longitudinal growth of plants.
 Lateral meristem: Present on the lateral sides of the stems and roots. Important function: To
increase the thickness of stems and roots.
Structure: As the cells of this tissue are very active, they have dense cytoplasm, thin cellulose walls and
prominent nuclei. They lack vacuoles.

Permanent Tissues
The process of taking up a permanent shape, size, and a function is called differentiation. Cells of
meristematic tissue differentiate to form different types of permanent tissue.
Simple Permanent Tissue
Tissue Function and Location Structure

Science: Class VII to X; Chemistry: Class XI-XII

1
Science: Kovid Khandelwal: +91 9891423276

Parenchyma It consists of relatively unspecialized cell. Has thin cell walls. They are live cells.
This tissue provides support to plants and They are usually loosely packed, so that
also stores food. large spaces between cells are found.
Chlorenchyma Performs photosynthesis. Present in Contains chlorophyll
leaves
Aerenchyma Helps the plant to float. Present in In aquatic plants, large air cavities are
aquatic plants. present in parenchyma to give buoyancy
to the plants.
Collenchyma It provides flexibility to the plants. It The cells of this tissue are living,
allows easy bending in various parts of a elongated and irregularly thickened at the
plant (leaf, stem) without breaking. It also corners. There is very little intercellular
provides mechanical support to plants. space.
Sclerenchyma It is the tissue which makes the plant The cells of this tissue are dead. They are
hard and stiff. Husk of coconut. This long and narrow as the walls are
tissue is present in stems, around thickened due to lignin (a chemical
vascular bundles, in the veins of leaves substance which acts as cement and
and in the hard covering of seeds and hardens them). Often these walls are so
nuts. thick that there is no internal space inside
the cell. It provides strength to the plant
parts.

The parenchyma of stems and roots also stores nutrients and water.
Epidermis: Outermost layer of the cells is called the epidermis.
The epidermis is usually made of a single layer of cells. In some plants living in very dry habitats, the
epidermis may be thicker since protection against water loss is critical. The entire surface of a plant has this
outer covering of epidermis. It protects all the parts of the plant. Epidermal cells on the aerial parts of the
plant often secrete a waxy, water-resistant layer on their outer surface. This aids in protection against loss of
water, mechanical injury and invasion by parasitic fungi. Since it has a protective role to play, cells of
epidermal tissue form a continuous layer without intercellular spaces. Most epidermal cells are relatively flat.
Often their outer and side walls are thicker than the inner wall.
We can observe small pores here and there in the epidermis of the leaf. These pores are called stomata.
Stomata are enclosed by two kidney-shaped cells called guard cells.
Functions: 1. They are necessary for exchanging gases with the atmosphere. 2. Transpiration (loss of water in
the form of water vapour) also takes place through stomata. 3. Regulation of temperature.
Epidermal Cells of the roots, whose function is water absorption, commonly bear long hair-like parts that
greatly increase the total absorptive surface area.
Desert plant’s epidermis has a thick waxy coating of cutin (chemical substance with waterproof quality) on
its outer surface.
As plants grow older, the outer protective tissue undergoes certain changes. A strip of secondary meristem
replaces the epidermis of the stem. Cells on the outside are cut off from this layer. This forms the several-
layer thick cork or the bark of the tree. Cells of cork are dead and compactly arranged without intercellular
spaces. They also have a chemical called suberin in their walls that makes them impervious to gases and
water.
Complex Permanent Tissue
Complex tissues are made of more than one type of cells. All these cells coordinate to perform a common
function. Xylem and phloem are examples of such complex tissues. They are both conducting tissues and
Science: Class VII to X; Chemistry: Class XI-XII
2
Science: Kovid Khandelwal: +91 9891423276

constitute a vascular bundle. Vascular or conductive tissue is a distinctive feature of the complex plants, one
that has made possible their survival in the terrestrial environment.
Xylem Phloem
The xylem helps in the transportation of both water The phloem helps in the transportation of food that
and minerals from the roots. is prepared by the green parts of the plants.
Xylem consists of tracheids, vessels, Phloem is made up of four types of
xylem parenchyma and xylem fibres. elements: sieve tubes, companion cells,
phloem fibres and the phloem parenchyma
Transport in Xylem is unidirectional. Transport in phloem is bidirectional.
Most of the cells in Xylem is dead Most of the cells in Phloem are living

Xylem-The cells have thick walls, and many of them are dead cells. Tracheids and vessels are tubular structures.
This allows them to transport water and minerals vertically. The parenchyma stores food and helps in the sideways
conduction of water. Fibres are mainly supportive in function.

Phloem-Sieve tubes are tubular cells with perforated walls. Phloem is unlike xylem in that materials can move in
both directions in it. Phloem transports food from leaves to other parts of the plant. Except for phloem fibres,
phloem cells are living cells.

Animal Tissues
Epithelial Tissues
The covering or protective tissues in the animal body are epithelial tissues. Epithelium covers most organs
and cavities within the body.
It also forms a barrier to keep different body systems separate. The skin, the lining of the mouth, the lining of
blood vessels, lung alveoli and kidney tubules are all made of epithelial tissue.
Structure: Epithelial tissue cells are tightly packed and form a continuous sheet. They have only a small
amount of cementing material between them and almost no intercellular spaces. Anything entering or
leaving the body must cross at least one layer of epithelium. As a result, the permeability of the cells of
various epithelia play an important role in regulating the exchange of materials between the body and the
external environment and also between different parts of the body. Regardless of the type, all epithelium is
usually separated from the underlying tissue by an extracellular fibrous basement membrane.
Types of Epithelial Tissues:
Simple Squamous: In cells lining blood vessels or lung alveoli, where transportation of substances occurs
through a selectively permeable surface, there is a simple flat kind of epithelium. The oesophagus and the
lining of the mouth are also covered with squamous epithelium.
Structure: Simple squamous epithelial cells are extremely thin and flat and form a delicate lining.
Stratified Squamous: The skin, which protects the body, is also made of squamous epithelium. Skin epithelial
cells are arranged in many layers to prevent wear and tear. Since they are arranged in a pattern of layers, the
epithelium is called Stratified Squamous.
Columnar (Ciliated): Where absorption and secretion occur, as in the inner lining of the intestine, tall
epithelial cells are present. This columnar (meaning ‘pillar-like’) epithelium facilitates movement across the
epithelial barrier. In the respiratory tract, the columnar epithelial tissue also has cilia, which are hair-like
projections on the outer surfaces of epithelial cells. These cilia can move, and their movement pushes the
mucus forward to clear it. This type of epithelium is thus ciliated columnar epithelium.

Science: Class VII to X; Chemistry: Class XI-XII

3
Science: Kovid Khandelwal: +91 9891423276

Cuboidal: Cuboidal epithelium (with cube-shaped cells) forms the lining of kidney tubules and ducts of
salivary glands, where it provides mechanical support.
Epithelial cells often acquire additional specialisation as gland cells, which can secrete substances at the
epithelial surface. Sometimes a portion of the epithelial tissue folds inward, and a multicellular gland is
formed. This is glandular epithelium.

Connective Tissues

Blood: Blood has a fluid (liquid) matrix called plasma, in which red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells
(WBCs) and platelets are suspended. The plasma contains proteins, salts and hormones. Blood flows and
transports gases, digested food, hormones and waste materials to different parts of the body.
Bone: It forms the framework that supports the body. It also anchors the muscles and supports the main
organs of the body. It is a strong and nonflexible tissue. Bone cells are embedded in a hard matrix that is
composed of calcium and phosphorus compounds.
Ligament: Two bones can be connected to each other by another type of connective tissue called the
ligament. This tissue is very elastic. It has considerable strength. Ligaments contain very little matrix.
Tendons: They connect muscles to bones and are another type of connective tissue. Tendons are fibrous
tissue with great strength but limited flexibility.
Cartilage: Another type of connective tissue, cartilage, has widely spaced cells. The solid matrix is composed of
proteins and sugars. Cartilage smoothens bone surfaces at joints and is also present in the nose, ear, trachea and
larynx. We can fold the cartilage of the ears, but we cannot bend the bones in our arms.
Areolar Connective Tissue: It is found between the skin and muscles, around blood vessels and nerves and in the
bone marrow. It fills the space inside the organs, supports internal organs and helps in repair of tissues.
Adipose Tissue: Fat storing adipose tissue is found below the skin and between internal organs. The cells of this
tissue are filled with fat globules. Storage of fats also lets it act as an insulator.

Muscular Tissue
Muscular tissue consists of elongated cells, also called muscle fibers. This tissue is responsible for movement in our
body.

Voluntary/Skeletal/Straited Involuntary/Smooth/Unstraiated Cardiac

The muscles that can be controlled The muscles that cannot be These muscles show rhythmic
by our will. These muscles are controlled by our will. contraction and relaxation
attached to bones. throughout life.
They are cylindrical They are spindle shaped They are cylindrical
The are multinucleate They are uninucleate They are uninucleate
These muscles show alternate light The are unstraited. They are unstraited.
and dark bands or striations when
stained appropriately.
They are long and unbranched. They are unbranched. They are branched.
Present in arms, legs etc. Present in the iris of the eye, in Present in the Heart.
ureters and in the bronchi of the
lungs.

Science: Class VII to X; Chemistry: Class XI-XII

4
Science: Kovid Khandelwal: +91 9891423276

Nervous Tissues
the nervous tissue are highly specialised for being stimulated and then
transmitting the stimulus very rapidly from one place to another within the body.
The brain, spinal cord and nerves are all composed of the nervous tissue. The cells
of this tissue are called nerve cells or neurons. A neuron consists of a cell body
with a nucleus and cytoplasm, from which long thin hair-like parts arise. Usually
each neuron has a single long part, called the axon, and many short, branched
parts called dendrites. An individual nerve cell may be up to a metre long. Many
nerve fibres bound together by connective tissue make up a nerve. Nerve impulses allow us to move our muscles
when we want to. The functional combination of nerve and muscle tissue is fundamental to most animals. This
combination enables animals to move rapidly in response to stimuli

Science: Class VII to X; Chemistry: Class XI-XII

5