Histology Practical- Be able to identify each tissue type listed and an example of one place in the body where it can be found (I’ve included some example/suggested places to know here); also be able to identify structures of the skin listed at the bottom of the page.

Epithelial Tissue Type / Suggested locations to know
Simple squamous / Endothelium (inner lining of blood vessels), lung alveoli (respiratory surfaces), mesothelia (lining of serous membranes), kidneys
Stratified squamous / Lining of skin, mouth, esophagus, rectum
Simple cuboidal / Most glands and ducts, some kidney tubules
Simple columnar / Lining of stomach, intestines (small and large), some kidney tubules
Pseudostratified ciliated columnar / Lining of trachea and much of the upper respiratory tract
Transitional / Lining of bladder and ureters

*note: for epithelial tissue, you will also need to be able to identify goblet cells (often associated with simple columnar and pseudostratified); you will also need to identify cilia on pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelia.

Connective Tissue Type / Locations / Structures to identify/other stuff to know
Areolar / Subcutaneous layer, papillary dermis / Collagen, elastin, cell nuclei
Adipose / Subcutaneous layer, around kidneys, yellow bone marrow / adipocytes
Reticular / Spleen, lymph nodes, liver / Reticular fibers, cell nuclei
Dense regular / Tendons, ligaments / Cell nuclei
Dense irregular / Reticular dermis, perichondria and periostea (outer linings of cartilage/bone) / ---
Hyaline cartilage / Most cartilage, ex. trachea / Chondrocytes, lacunae, matrix
Elastic cartilage / Epiglottis, external ear / Same as hyaline
Fibrocartilage / Intervertebral discs, knees / Same
Bone / --- / Osteocytes, lacunae, canaliculi, central canal; know collagen is the primary protein of the matrix
Blood / --- / Erythrocytes, Leukocytes
Muscle Tissue / Locations / Structures to identify/other stuff to know
Smooth / Dermis, Lining blood vessels, lining GI tract / Nuclei of cells; know non-striated, involuntary
Cardiac / Heart / Nuclei, intercalated discs; know striated, involuntary
Skeletal / Generally attached to bone / Nuclei; know striated, voluntary
Neural Tissue / Locations / Structures to identify/other stuff to know
Neuron / Brain, nerves / Identify cell body, dendrites/axon (don’t need to differentiate between dendrites and axon)
Neuroglia (support cells) / Brain, nerves / ----

Skin: You should be able to identify the following structures in the skin for the first practical:

Epidermis (know tissue type)

Dermis (know tissue types of papillary and reticular)

Hair and hair follicle

Sebaceous gland

Sudoriferous gland (do not need to differentiate between apocrine and merocrine/eccrine)