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Fully revised and updated, the sixth edition of this dictionary provides comprehensive coverage of biology, biophysics, and biochemistry, as well as key terms from medicine and palaeontology.
- Tissue Definition
- Types of Animal Tissues
- Types of Plant Tissues
- Related Biology Terms
- Quiz
Tissues are groups of cells that have a similar structure and act together to perform a specific function. The word tissue comes from a form of an old French verb meaning “to weave”. There are four different types of tissues in animals: connective, muscle, nervous, and epithelial. In plants, tissues are divided into three types: vascular, ground, a...
Connective
Connective tissue connects or separates groups of other tissues. It is found in between all the other tissues and organs in the body. Connective tissue is made up of cells and ground substance, which is a gel that surrounds cells. Most connective tissue, except for lymph and blood, also contains fibers, which are long, narrow proteins. Fibers can be collagenous, which bind bones to tissues; elastic, which allow organs like the lungs to move; or reticular, which provide physical support to cel...
Muscle
Muscle tissue comprises all the muscles in the body, and the specialized nature of the tissue is what allows muscles to contract. There are three types of muscle tissue: skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, and smooth muscle. Skeletal muscle anchors tendons to bones and allows the body to move. Cardiac muscle is found in the heart and contracts to pump blood. Smooth muscle is found in the intestines, where it helps move food through the digestive tract, and it is also found in other organs like b...
Nervous
Nervous tissue is found in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, which are all parts of the nervous system. It is made up of neurons, which are nerve cells, and neuroglia, which are cells that help nerve impulses travel. Nervous tissue is grouped into four types: gray matter and white matter in the brain, and nerves and ganglia in the peripheral nervous system. The main difference between gray and white matter is that axons of the neurons in gray matter are unmyelinated, while white...
Vascular
Vascular tissues in plants transport substances throughout the different parts of the plant. The two types of vascular tissue are xylem and phloem. Xylem transports water and some soluble nutrients, while phloem transports organic compounds the plant uses as food, particularly sucrose. Vascular tissues are long and thin, and form cylinders that nutrients are transported through like pipes. Vascular tissue is also involved with two types of meristems, which are tissues that contain undifferent...
Ground
Ground tissue is made up of all cells that are not vascular or dermal (having to do with the epidermis; see below). There are three types of ground tissue: parenchyma, collenchyma, and sclerenchyma. Parenchyma cells form the “filler” tissue in plants, and perform many functions like photosynthesis, storage of starch, fats, oils, proteins, and water, and repairing damaged tissue. Collenchyma tissue is made up of long cells with irregularly thick walls that provide structural support to the pla...
Epidermal
The epidermis is made up of a single layer of cells that covers a plant’s roots, stems, leaves, and flowers. (Epidermis is also the word for skin in human anatomy.) It guards the plant against water loss, regulates the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen, and in roots, it absorbs water and nutrients from the soil. The epidermis on a plant’s stems and leaves have pores called stomata, which carbon dioxide, water vapor, and oxygen diffuse through. Epidermal cells are themselves covered by the...
Cell– the basic biological unit of living things; groups of them form tissues.Organ– a self-contained group of tissues that performs a specific function in the body.Sarcomere– a unit of striated muscle tissue that contains the filaments actin and myosin.Meristem– a region of undifferentiated plant tissue found at the site of new plant growth at the tips of roots and offshoots of stems.1. Which is NOT a type of plant tissue? A. Ground B. Connective C. Epidermal D.Vascular 2. Alzheimer’s disease is associated with the breakdown of what type of tissue? A. Connective B. Muscle C. Nervous D.Epithelial 3. What is a function of epithelial tissue? A. To cover the surface of organs and protect them B. To cover the parts of a plant and gu...
This glossary of biology terms is a list of definitions of fundamental terms and concepts used in biology, the study of life and of living organisms.
There are four meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun romp. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
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Our Biology Dictionary is the largest dictionary of Biology terms and definitions in the world. Learn various topics, concepts, and principles in Biology by searching the definitions and essential details of 70,000+ Biology terms.
Oct 20, 2024 · This new eighth edition has been fully revised and updated to reflect recent progress in the fields of biology, biophysics, and biochemistry, with particular expansion to the areas of ecology, cell biology, and plant and animal development. Over 150 new entries include de-extinction, ecological footprint, rewilding, and Zika virus.
