Download are all made up of specialized nerve cells called neurons. Neurons

Name: _____________________________________________ Date:______________ Block:
A Brief Study of 3 Specialized Tissues
Introduction:
A tissue is a group of specialized cells that perform a common function. This lab
investigation will allow you to look more closely at the four major types of tissues found
in the human body which include: epithelial, connective, muscle, and neural. During
the lab exercise, you will look at several tissue samples using the microscope and think
about how their structure relates to their functions in the human body.
Questions:
1. What is tissue made of?
2. What are the four types of tissues?
Procedure:
In this lab you and your group will rotate to 3 different stations. At each
station you will work together to:
1. Read the information provided about a particular type of tissue.
2. Answer questions about that particular type of tissue.
3. You may watch a video or view a micrograph of your specialized cell
online too.
4. Observe and sketch each cells of the tissue using colored pencils.
a. NOTE: EVERYONE MUST SKETCH HIS/HER OWN CELLS!!
b. Please use high power.
A word of caution: Please be careful with the slides. Some cost up to $15 each!
Please do not use coarse adjustment under high power.
Red Bloods:
1. Watch the video “Function of the Red blood Cells” on youtube.
https://youtu.be/TbtJ8K4fdP4 or http://tinyurl.com/j8g9dkw
2. Examine the blood smear and sketch the red blood cells.
a. Sketch the red blood cells. Be sure to use
color pencils. Draw to scale.

b. Describe the shape of the red blood cells:
c. View the micrograph of blood smears at
1000x http://tinyurl.com/rbcsmear
d. Sketch the red blood cells. Be sure to use
color pencils. Draw to scale.

In addition to the short Youtube video, Read over the background
information on RBC to answer the following questions:
3. What type of tissue is blood considered?
4. What is the main function of the red blood cell?
5. How does the shape of the red blood cell help it do its job?
6. What organelle does the red blood cell not have? WHY?
7. Red blood cells, or erythrocytes, are produced in the bone marrow and
transport oxygen throughout the body. As red blood cells mature, they fill
up with hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein that contains iron and gives
the blood its red color. Hemoglobin binds oxygen in the lungs and releases
it in capillary networks throughout the body. Based on this information,
what cell structure/organelle would you expect red blood cells to have a
lot of and why? (look at your purple cell chart for help)
Summing it up:
How does the structure of the red blood cell relate to its function?
Adipose (Fat) Cells Station – HINT THESE CELLS ARE VERY TRANSPARENT.
ADJUST LIGHT ON SCOPE.
1. Sketch the tissue. Be sure to use color
pencils. Draw to scale.
2.
Describe the cell? What does it look like? Can you see any
organelles? Watch the following video from 1:00 to 1:29. Here is a link
that should start at 1min: http://tinyurl.com/hrw4nrj
3. Where is the nucleus in the cell? Label it. Why?
4. What is the function of adipose tissue?
5. Where are adipose tissues located in the human body?
6. How many adipose cells does the average adult have?
7. How do the fat cells of two people: one overweight and one
underweight compare. Explain.
Summing it up:
How does the structure of the fat cells relate to its function?
The cells of your nervous system
1. Read over the Background information sheet.
2. Label the parts of the neuron.
1. Using an arrow, draw which way electrical impulses enter and exit the
neuron in your diagram above.
2. Now focus on a slide of a neuron under low or
medium power. Sketch the neural tissue. This is a
big cells so you may only see parts of the neuron 
3. Label the axons and dendrites in your sketch.
(Use the hand out and text for help)
4. What is the main job of nervous tissue?
Summing it up:
How does the structure of a neuron relate to its function?
RED BLOOD CELL BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Connective Tissue – Connective tissue is the most abundant type of cells and it is found
in all areas of the body. The different types of connective tissue perform a variety of
functions, but they primarily protect, insulate, support and bind other tissues of the body.
We will examine three examples of connective tissue in this lab: bone, fat or adipose,
and blood.
Blood is a connective tissue consisting of cells suspended in an intercellular fluid (the
blood plasma). Blood functions to transport oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, wastes,
hormones, etc. to and from the body's cells. Blood cells consist of red blood cells, white
blood cells (leukocytes) and platelets.
Red blood cells deliver oxygen to the tissues and return carbon dioxide from the tissues
to the lungs. They are released from the bone marrow with a life span of 120 days. Unlike
most cells of the body, mature red cells do not contain a nucleus. There are three
reasons for the.
1. The main function of a red blood cell is the transport of oxygen and
carbon dioxide. The presence of a nucleus would decrease the amount of
space available to these gases.
2. The nucleus of a cell has a certain mass. Nucleated red blood cells would
add significantly to the weight of the blood and increase the workload of
the heart by about 20%.
3. Red cells are fully differentiated and do not require a nucleus to carry out
the function of transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide.
The primary function of carrying oxygen is made possible by a chemically complex
protein called hemoglobin. During circulation of blood through the lungs, hemoglobin
becomes almost fully saturated with oxygen, making the blood bright red. As red cells
perfuse the capillary beds of tissues and organs, oxygen is released from the hemoglobin
into the tissues.
Red blood cells are flexible, concave disks. This shape gives the red cell a maximum
surface area, facilitating the transfer of gases into and out of the cell. The flexibility of the
cell also enables it to easily undergo the changes in shape necessary for travel through
the capillaries of the body. (Capillaries are only slightly larger than red blood cells.)
Source: http://www.newenglandblood.org/helping/redcells.htm
ADIPOSE (FAT CELLS) BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Adipose (Fat) Tissueis a connective tissue found In humans is located beneath
the skin (subcutaneous fat), around internal organs (visceral fat), and in the bone
marrow (yellow bone marrow). Adipose tissue is found in specific locations, which
are referred to as 'adipose depots.' Adipose tissue contains several cell types,
with the highest percentage of cells being adipocytes, which contain fat
droplets.
White adipose tissue contains a large lipid droplet surrounded by a layer of
cytoplasm. The nucleus is flattened and located along the edge of the cell. A
typical fat cell is 0.1mm in diameter - some may be twice that size and others are
half that size. The fat stored is in a semi-liquid state, and is composed primarily of
triglycerides and cholesteryl ester. An average adult has 30 billion fat cells with a
weight of 30 lbs. If excess weight is gained as an adult, fat cells increase in size
about fourfold before dividing and increasing the number of fat cells in the body.
NEURON BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Neural Tissue – Neural tissue comprises the communication network in the
human body. Its cells are varied in structure and size. Nervous tissue is
found throughout the human body. Nervous tissue is specialized to react to
stimuli and to conduct impulses to various organs in the body, which bring
about a response to the stimulus. Nerve tissue (as in the brain, spinal cord
and peripheral nerves that branch throughout the body) are all made up
of specialized nerve cells called neurons. Neurons are easily stimulated
and transmit impulses very rapidly.
Neurons are easily stimulated and transmit impulses very rapidly. The
impulses are transmitted through the motor neuron in one direction. They
move into the cell body by the dendrites and away from the cell body by
the axon. The cell body is enclosed by a cell (plasma) membrane and has
a central nucleus.
We will explore the neuron more in detail in our HW tonight. If you finish this lab
activity you may start on the homework.