Tissue Types
Bianca Karpinecz
Epithelial Tissue
Epithelial tissue shows a great example of the relationship between form and function. These cells are found packed tightly together (form) and their function is to form a protective barrier. So the form allows these cells to preform their function.
Connective Tissue
There are 5 different types of connective tissues that all have different forms and functions. A specific example of how form and function work together in connective tissue is blood. Blood supplies essential nutrients throughout the body, so to do this it needs to be in a form that can easily move through the body. Red and white blood cells mix together with plasma to make this possible.
Muscular Tissue
Muscular tissue can be broken into three categories (skeletal, smooth, and cardiac) that all have slightly different forms and functions. Cardiac muscle has characteristics of both smooth and skeletal muscle, but is slightly different so it can preform the functions (contraction of the atria and ventricles of the heart) it needs to in the heart.
Nervous Tissue
Nervous tissue is shaped in a very unique way in order to generate and transmit signals throughout the body. The axon and dendrites allow signals to travel from nervous cell to nervous cell. So without this form, nervous cells wouldn't be able to properly transmit signals.
Best Tissue?
I think all the different types of tissues implement form and function fantastically. However, if I had to chose which one is the best, I would go with epithelial tissue. It's main function is to form a protective barrier, and what better way to do this than to pack tightly together so that nothing can get through? It's such a simple process, but works so well.