This document categorizes and describes the four primary types of tissues in the body: epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous tissue. Epithelial tissue lines organs and structures and is classified as squamous, cuboidal, or columnar. Connective tissue connects and supports other tissues and includes areolar, dense, adipose, cartilage, bone, and blood. Muscle tissue contains specialized contractile cells and is divided into skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle. Nervous tissue consists of polarized neurons that transmit electrical signals.