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Tissues: 99 3D models

Blood vessels, skin, muscle, bone, epithelium, nephrons, tumours, and histology of every organ system (real sizes 0.1–10 mm). Each one is a ready-made 3D model you can turn, recolour and place in a figure — open BioDioRama and type its name in the Library search.

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Blood & vessels · Linings & glands · Muscle & bone · Nervous tissue · Organ units · Histology · Digestive tract · Histology · Liver, pancreas & glands · Histology · Heart & vessels · Histology · Respiratory system · Histology · Kidney & urinary tract · Histology · Endocrine glands · Histology · Immune organs & blood · Histology · Muscle · Histology · Bone & cartilage · Histology · Nervous system · Histology · Eye · Histology · Ear · Histology · Skin · Histology · Reproductive system

Blood & vessels 5

Blood vessel — A vessel cut open to show its layers — endothelium, smooth muscle and connective tissue — with blood cells flowing inside. (capillary 5–10 µm, aorta 2.5 cm)
Capillary network — Oxygen-rich blood from an arteriole spreads through fine capillaries and drains into a venule. (≈ 1 mm)
Blood cells — Red cells, white cells and platelets together, as in a drop of blood. (cells 2–15 µm)
Vein (cross-section) — A thin-walled vein with valves, cut open. (capillary 5–10 µm, aorta 2.5 cm)
Capillary — A single-cell-thick capillary where exchange happens. (capillary 5–10 µm, aorta 2.5 cm)

Linings & glands 8

Epithelium — A sheet of tightly packed cells lining a surface, cut at the front to show the nuclei. Pick the classic types. (cells 10–30 µm)
Skin cross-section — A block of skin: epidermis, dermis and fatty hypodermis, with a hair follicle, sebaceous and sweat glands, blood vessels and a nerve. (≈ 2–4 mm thick)
Intestinal villi — Finger-like folds lining the small intestine; each holds capillaries and a lacteal to absorb food. (≈ 0.5–1 mm tall)
Alveoli — Bronchioles ending in grape-like air sacs wrapped in capillaries — where oxygen enters the blood. (alveolus ≈ 0.2 mm)
Simple cuboidal epithelium — One layer of cube-shaped cells (kidney tubules, glands). (cells 10–30 µm)
Simple squamous epithelium — One layer of flat cells (alveoli, endothelium). (cells 10–30 µm)
Stratified squamous epithelium — Many layers of cells (skin, oesophagus). (cells 10–30 µm)
Pseudostratified ciliated epithelium — The ciliated lining of the airways. (cells 10–30 µm)

Muscle & bone 4

Muscle (cross-section) — A muscle cut across: the sheath (epimysium) holds bundles (fascicles) of long muscle fibres. (fascicles ≈ 1 mm)
Compact bone — A wedge of a long bone: osteons with ring-like lamellae around blood-filled canals, spongy bone and marrow inside. (osteons ≈ 0.2 mm)
Cartilage — Smooth, rubbery tissue: chondrocytes sit in little cavities (lacunae) inside a gel-like matrix. (cells ≈ 10–30 µm)
Adipose (fat) tissue — Packed fat cells, each almost entirely one lipid droplet, with capillaries between them. (cells 50–150 µm)

Nervous tissue 1

Synapse — Where two nerve cells meet: vesicles release neurotransmitters across the synaptic cleft onto receptors. (cleft ≈ 20 nm)

Organ units 3

Nephron — The kidney's filtering unit: glomerulus and Bowman's capsule, then tubules and the loop of Henle draining into a collecting duct. (≈ 3 cm long (uncoiled))
Liver lobule — A six-sided unit of liver: plates of liver cells radiate from a central vein, with portal triads at the corners. (≈ 1 mm)
Tumour spheroid / organoid — A ball of cells grown in the lab: dividing cells outside, quiet cells in the middle and a dead (necrotic) core. (≈ 0.2–1 mm)

Histology · Digestive tract 13

Oesophagus wall — A block of oesophageal wall: non-keratinised stratified squamous epithelium, lamina propria, muscularis mucosae, submucosa with oesophageal glands, and muscularis externa (skeletal above, smooth below) with an adventitia. (wall ≈ 2–4 mm thick)
Oesophagus wall (upper third, skeletal muscle) — The upper oesophagus, whose muscularis externa is skeletal muscle (voluntary swallowing). (wall ≈ 2–4 mm thick)
Stomach wall (fundus / body) — Gastric wall with rugae: surface mucous cells lining gastric pits that lead into glands of parietal (acid) and chief (pepsinogen) cells; three muscle layers (oblique, circular, longitudinal) and serosa. (wall ≈ 2–4 mm thick)
Duodenum wall — Leaf- and finger-like villi with crypts, and the duodenum's hallmark: Brunner's glands in the submucosa secreting alkaline mucus. (wall ≈ 2–4 mm thick)
Jejunum wall — Tall villi on large circular folds (plicae circulares) of mucosa and submucosa — the biggest absorptive surface of the gut. (wall ≈ 2–4 mm thick)
Ileum wall (Peyer's patches) — Ileal wall with villi and Peyer's patches — aggregated lymphoid follicles with germinal centres in the mucosa and submucosa. (wall ≈ 2–4 mm thick)
Colon wall — Large-intestine wall: a flat surface with straight crypts packed with goblet cells, no villi, and the outer longitudinal muscle gathered into taenia coli. (wall ≈ 2–4 mm thick)
Appendix wall — Vermiform appendix: colonic-type crypts and a mucosa and submucosa crowded with lymphoid follicles. (wall ≈ 2–4 mm thick)
Gallbladder wall — Gallbladder: branching mucosal folds of tall columnar epithelium, no muscularis mucosae or submucosa, an irregular smooth-muscle layer and serosa. (wall ≈ 2–4 mm thick)
Gastric gland (cell types) — One gastric gland, cut open: surface mucous cells in the pit, stem cells at the isthmus, mucous neck cells, acid-secreting parietal cells and pepsinogen-making chief cells at the base, with enteroendocrine cells. (gland ≈ 0.5–1 mm deep)
Crypt–villus unit (cell types) — A villus and its crypts, cut open: enterocytes with a brush border, goblet, tuft and enteroendocrine cells on the villus; Lgr5⁺ stem cells and granular Paneth cells at the crypt base; a central lacteal and capillary loop. (villus ≈ 0.5–1 mm)
Tongue surface & papillae — The dorsum of the tongue: pointed keratinised filiform papillae, mushroom-shaped fungiform papillae and a circumvallate papilla in its trench lined with taste buds, over interlacing skeletal muscle. (papillae 0.2–2 mm)
Taste bud — A barrel-shaped taste bud in stratified epithelium: supporting type I cells, receptor type II cells, presynaptic type III cells and basal stem cells, with microvilli at the taste pore and afferent nerve fibres. (≈ 50–70 µm)

Histology · Liver, pancreas & glands 5

Liver sinusoid & space of Disse — Plates of hepatocytes either side of a sinusoid: fenestrated endothelium, Kupffer cells in the lumen, a vitamin-A-storing stellate cell in the space of Disse, and bile canaliculi between hepatocytes. (sinusoid ≈ 10 µm wide)
Portal triad — A portal tract cut across: portal venule, hepatic arteriole and bile ductule (with a lymphatic) in connective tissue, ringed by the limiting plate of hepatocytes and radiating plates and sinusoids. (portal tract ≈ 0.1–0.3 mm)
Pancreatic acini & ducts — Exocrine pancreas: pyramidal acinar cells with apical zymogen granules around tiny lumens, pale centroacinar cells and intercalated ducts draining into an intralobular duct. (acinus ≈ 40 µm)
Islet of Langerhans — A pancreatic islet cut open: insulin-secreting β cells in the core, glucagon α cells, somatostatin δ cells and PP cells towards the rim, threaded with fenestrated capillaries, among exocrine acini. (≈ 50–300 µm)
Salivary gland (submandibular) — A mixed salivary gland: serous acini, pale mucous tubules capped by serous demilunes, myoepithelial cells, intercalated ducts and a striated duct. (acini ≈ 30–60 µm)

Histology · Heart & vessels 8

Elastic artery wall (aorta) — A wedge of aortic wall: endothelium and subendothelium, a thick media of 40–70 fenestrated elastic lamellae with smooth muscle between, and an adventitia carrying vasa vasorum. (wall ≈ 2 mm)
Muscular artery wall — A medium-sized (distributing) artery: endothelium, a wavy internal elastic lamina, a thick media of circular smooth muscle, the external elastic lamina and adventitia with vasa vasorum and nerves. (diameter ≈ 2–10 mm)
Artery, vein & nerve (neurovascular bundle) — The classic slide: a round, thick-walled muscular artery, a wide thin-walled vein, and a nerve with fascicles of myelinated axons, in loose connective tissue with fat. (vessels ≈ 1–5 mm)
Microcirculation (arteriole → capillaries → venule) — An arteriole ringed by smooth muscle feeding a capillary bed through precapillary sphincters, red cells in single file, pericytes on the capillaries and a post-capillary venule; mast cells and fibroblasts around. (capillaries ≈ 5–10 µm)
Capillary types (continuous, fenestrated, sinusoidal) — The three capillary types cut open side by side: continuous (tight junctions, pericyte — muscle, brain), fenestrated (pores — kidney, gut, glands) and sinusoidal (gaps and a patchy basement membrane — liver, marrow, spleen). (diameter ≈ 5–30 µm)
Lymphatic capillary & valve — A blind-ended initial lymphatic of overlapping oak-leaf endothelial flaps held open by anchoring filaments, draining into a collecting lymphatic with smooth muscle and a bicuspid valve. (≈ 20–100 µm)
Cardiac muscle tissue — Branching, striated cardiomyocytes joined end to end by intercalated discs, with one or two central nuclei and capillaries between the fibres. (cells ≈ 100 × 15 µm)
Heart wall layers — From the chamber outwards: endocardium, subendocardial Purkinje fibres, a myocardium of crossing fibre layers, subepicardial fat with a coronary artery and vein, the epicardium, pericardial cavity and the parietal/fibrous pericardium. (wall ≈ 3–15 mm)

Histology · Respiratory system 5

Trachea wall — A cut-open segment of trachea: pseudostratified ciliated epithelium with goblet and basal cells, lamina propria, submucosal seromucous glands, a C-shaped ring of hyaline cartilage and the trachealis muscle across its open back. (diameter ≈ 2 cm)
Bronchus wall — An intrapulmonary bronchus: respiratory epithelium, a continuous ring of smooth muscle, seromucous glands and separate plates of cartilage. (diameter ≈ 2–10 mm)
Bronchiole to alveoli — The end of the airway tree: a terminal bronchiole with ciliated and club cells and spiral smooth muscle, a respiratory bronchiole, then alveolar ducts and sacs wrapped in capillaries, with a pulmonary arteriole alongside. (bronchiole ≈ 0.5 mm)
Alveolar wall (blood–air barrier) — An interalveolar septum: capillaries bulging into the air spaces under paper-thin type I pneumocytes, surfactant-making type II cells with lamellar bodies, an alveolar macrophage, fibroblasts and elastic fibres. (barrier ≈ 0.5 µm thick)
Olfactory epithelium — The smell epithelium: bipolar olfactory neurons with knobs and long cilia, tall sustentacular and basal stem cells, Bowman's glands, and axons gathering into bundles that pierce the cribriform plate. (epithelium ≈ 60 µm)

Histology · Kidney & urinary tract 5

Renal corpuscle (glomerulus) — Bowman's capsule opened to show the capillary tuft covered in podocytes, mesangial cells, the afferent and efferent arterioles with renin-secreting JG cells, the macula densa of the distal tubule, and the proximal tubule at the urinary pole. (≈ 200 µm)
Glomerular filtration barrier — The three-layer kidney filter: fenestrated endothelium, the glomerular basement membrane and interdigitating podocyte foot processes bridged by slit diaphragms — water and small solutes pass, albumin is held back. (barrier ≈ 0.3 µm)
Renal cortex tubules (cross-section) — Kidney cortex cut across: proximal tubules with tall cells and fuzzy brush borders, distal tubules with clear lumens, a collecting duct with principal and intercalated cells, and peritubular capillaries. (tubules ≈ 30–60 µm)
Urinary bladder wall — Bladder wall: urothelium (basal, intermediate and dome-shaped umbrella cells) that flattens when the bladder fills, lamina propria and the criss-crossing bundles of the detrusor muscle. (wall ≈ 3–5 mm)
Ureter (cross-section) — A ureter cut across: a star-shaped lumen lined by urothelium, lamina propria, inner longitudinal and outer circular smooth muscle, and adventitia with fat and vessels. (diameter ≈ 3–5 mm)

Histology · Endocrine glands 4

Thyroid follicles — Thyroid follicles: rings of follicular cells around colloid (cut open at the front), parafollicular C cells and capillaries between. "Active" gives tall cells, scalloped colloid and resorption vacuoles; "inactive" flat cells and big colloid. (follicles 50–500 µm)
Parathyroid gland — Parathyroid tissue: cords of small parathyroid-hormone-secreting chief cells, clusters of larger pink oxyphil cells, fat cells and capillaries inside a thin capsule. (gland ≈ 5 mm)
Adrenal gland zones — A column through the adrenal: capsule, arched clusters of the zona glomerulosa (aldosterone), long cords of lipid-rich zona fasciculata cells (cortisol), the network of the zona reticularis (androgens) and chromaffin cells of the medulla around the central vein. (cortex ≈ 1–2 mm)
Pituitary gland (hypophysis) — The pituitary cut in half: an anterior lobe of acidophils, basophils and chromophobes among sinusoids; the pars intermedia with Rathke cysts; the posterior lobe of hypothalamic axons, Herring bodies and pituicytes; and the stalk with its portal veins. (≈ 1 cm)

Histology · Immune organs & blood 4

Lymph node — A lymph node cut open: capsule and subcapsular sinus, cortical B-cell follicles with germinal centres, the T-cell paracortex with high endothelial venules, medullary cords and sinuses, trabeculae, valved afferent lymphatics and the hilum with the efferent lymphatic, artery and vein. (≈ 2–20 mm)
Spleen (white & red pulp) — Splenic tissue: white pulp (a central arteriole sheathed by T cells with an eccentric B-cell follicle and marginal zone) in red pulp of venous sinuses — stave cells and ring fibres — and cords packed with red cells and macrophages, under the capsule and trabeculae. (white pulp ≈ 0.5 mm)
Thymus lobule — A thymic lobule cut in half: a dark cortex packed with developing T cells, a paler medulla with Hassall's corpuscles and epithelial cells, and connective-tissue septa carrying vessels. (lobule ≈ 1–2 mm)
Red bone marrow — Haematopoietic marrow between bone trabeculae: erythroid islands around central macrophages, myeloid precursors, megakaryocytes shedding proplatelets into a sinusoid, plasma cells and fat cells. (cells 8–100 µm)

Histology · Muscle 4

Skeletal muscle fibre ultrastructure — Inside a muscle fibre: myofibrils striped into sarcomeres (A and I bands, H zone, M and Z lines), T-tubules with flanking SR cisternae forming triads, mitochondria, peripheral nuclei and a satellite cell. (sarcomere ≈ 2.5 µm)
Neuromuscular junction — A motor end plate: a myelinated motor axon branching into boutons full of acetylcholine vesicles, under a terminal Schwann cell, over junctional folds studded with ACh receptors and acetylcholinesterase. (end plate ≈ 30–50 µm)
Smooth muscle tissue — Sheets of spindle-shaped smooth muscle cells with central nuclei and dense bodies — one layer running along, one cut across — with capillaries and autonomic nerve varicosities. (cells ≈ 20–200 µm long)
Tendon structure (hierarchy) — A tendon telescoped from outside in: paratenon and epitenon, fascicles wrapped in endotenon, wavy (crimped) collagen fibres with rows of tenocytes, and fibrils at the tip. (tendon ≈ 5–10 mm)

Histology · Bone & cartilage 7

Osteon (Haversian system) — A single osteon: concentric lamellae with alternating fibre directions around a Haversian canal (arteriole, venule, nerve), osteocytes in lacunae linked by canaliculi, the cement line, a Volkmann canal and interstitial lamellae. (≈ 0.2 mm across)
Bone remodelling unit — A basic multicellular unit on a trabecula: multinucleated osteoclasts with ruffled borders in Howship's lacunae, osteoclast precursors, a cavity being refilled with osteoid by osteoblasts, lining cells and osteocytes, under marrow. (BMU ≈ 1–2 mm)
Epiphyseal growth plate — Endochondral ossification in order: epiphyseal bone, resting zone, columns of flattened proliferating chondrocytes, swollen hypertrophic cells, calcified septa, invading capillaries, chondroclasts and osteoblasts building primary trabeculae. (plate ≈ 1–2 mm)
Synovial joint — A synovial joint cut in half: rounded and flat bone ends capped with articular cartilage, menisci, the joint cavity of synovial fluid lined by synovial membrane, the fibrous capsule and a collateral ligament. (knee ≈ 8 cm)
Articular cartilage zones — Articular cartilage from the joint surface down: flat superficial cells, rounded middle-zone cells, deep columns, the tidemark, calcified cartilage and subchondral bone, with collagen arcades. (≈ 2–4 mm thick)
Intervertebral disc — A disc between two vertebral bodies, cut in half: lamellae of the annulus fibrosus with alternating fibre angles, the gel-like nucleus pulposus, cartilage endplates and cancellous bone. (≈ 4 cm across)
Cartilage types (hyaline, elastic, fibro) — The three cartilages side by side: hyaline (isogenous groups in glassy matrix, perichondrium), elastic (cells in a dense mesh of elastic fibres) and fibrocartilage (rows of chondrocytes between collagen bundles). (cells ≈ 10–30 µm)

Histology · Nervous system 8

Peripheral nerve (cross-section) — A nerve cut across: epineurium with fat and vasa nervorum, fascicles wrapped in perineurium, and endoneurium around myelinated and unmyelinated axons. (nerve ≈ 1–20 mm)
Myelinated axon & node of Ranvier — Two Schwann-cell internodes meeting at a node of Ranvier, cut open: compact myelin lamellae ending in paranodal loops, clustered Na⁺ channels at the node, K⁺ channels under the myelin, Schwann-cell microvilli and the axoplasm. (node ≈ 1 µm)
Spinal cord (cross-section) — The spinal cord cut across at a chosen level: the grey-matter butterfly with motor neurons in the ventral horns, white-matter tracts coloured (dorsal columns, corticospinal, spinothalamic, spinocerebellar), roots and dorsal root ganglia, meninges and spinal arteries. (cord ≈ 1 cm)
Cerebral cortex layers (I–VI) — A column of neocortex from the pia to white matter: molecular layer I, granular II and IV, pyramidal III and V (with giant Betz cells) and multiform VI — shown as a Nissl stain (cell bodies), Golgi stain (whole neurons) or both. (cortex ≈ 2–4 mm)
Cerebellar cortex — A cerebellar folium: Purkinje cells with flat fan-shaped dendritic trees, parallel fibres crossing them, a climbing fibre, stellate and basket cells, the packed granular layer with Golgi cells and mossy-fibre rosettes, over white matter. (cortex ≈ 1 mm)
Blood–brain barrier — The neurovascular unit, telescoped: brain endothelium sealed by tight junctions with GLUT1 and P-glycoprotein, its basement membrane with an embedded pericyte, astrocyte end-feet ensheathing the capillary, and a nearby neuron. (capillary ≈ 7 µm)
Choroid plexus — Choroid plexus fronds in a ventricle: cuboidal epithelium with microvilli over a core of connective tissue and fenestrated capillaries, rising from the ciliated ependyma — the source of cerebrospinal fluid. (villi ≈ 0.1 mm)
Meninges & dural sinus — From skull to cortex: inner and outer tables with diploë, the middle meningeal artery, dura with the falx and superior sagittal sinus, arachnoid granulations, arachnoid with trabeculae across the CSF-filled subarachnoid space and its vessels, a bridging vein, pia, and grey and white matter. (meninges ≈ 1 mm)

Histology · Eye 2

Retina layers — All ten layers of the retina: choroid, pigment epithelium, rod and cone outer and inner segments, outer nuclear and plexiform layers, the inner nuclear layer (bipolar, horizontal and amacrine cells), inner plexiform, ganglion cells and nerve fibres, Müller glia and retinal vessels. Switch on the fovea for the cone-only pit. (retina ≈ 0.25 mm)
Cornea layers — The five corneal layers under the tear film: stratified epithelium (basal, wing and squamous cells), Bowman's layer, a stroma of crossing lamellae with keratocytes and nerves, Descemet's membrane and the endothelium. (cornea ≈ 0.5 mm)

Histology · Ear 1

Organ of Corti — The hearing organ on the basilar membrane: one row of inner and three of outer hair cells with stereocilia under the tectorial membrane, pillar cells around the tunnel of Corti, Deiters', Hensen's and Claudius cells, afferent and efferent fibres to the spiral ganglion, Reissner's membrane and the stria vascularis. (≈ 0.1 mm)

Histology · Skin 3

Epidermis layers & cells — Epidermis from the basement membrane up: stratum basale with melanocytes and Merkel cells, spinosum with Langerhans cells, granulosum with keratohyalin, lucidum (thick skin) and corneum, over dermal papillae with capillary loops and the reticular dermis. (thick ≈ 1 mm · thin ≈ 0.1 mm)
Hair follicle (detailed) — A hair follicle cut lengthwise: dermal papilla and matrix in the bulb, the shaft (medulla, cortex, cuticle), inner and outer root sheaths, glassy membrane and connective-tissue sheath, bulge stem cells, sebaceous gland, arrector pili and nerve endings. (follicle ≈ 3–4 mm)
Skin sensory receptors — The touch receptors of the skin in place: free nerve endings, Merkel cell–neurite complexes, Meissner's corpuscle in a dermal papilla, a Ruffini ending, an onion-like Pacinian corpuscle in the hypodermis and nerve endings around a hair follicle. (corpuscles 0.05–2 mm)

Histology · Reproductive system 9

Seminiferous tubules & Leydig cells — Seminiferous tubules cut across: spermatogonia on the basement membrane, large primary spermatocytes, round and elongating spermatids and sperm tails in the lumen, held by Sertoli cells; peritubular myoid cells, and testosterone-making Leydig cells in the interstitium. (tubule ≈ 0.2 mm)
Prostate gland — Prostatic glands with papillary infoldings of tall secretory cells over a basal-cell layer, corpora amylacea in the lumens, and fibromuscular stroma. (glands ≈ 0.1–1 mm)
Ovary (follicles & corpora) — An ovary cut in half: surface epithelium and tunica albuginea, a cortex holding primordial, primary, multilaminar, antral and Graafian follicles, a corpus luteum, a corpus albicans and an atretic follicle, and the vascular medulla. (ovary ≈ 3 cm)
Ovarian follicle development — The life of a follicle in a row: primordial → primary → multilaminar → antral → Graafian → ovulation → corpus luteum → corpus albicans, each cut through to show the oocyte, zona pellucida, granulosa and theca. (follicles 30 µm – 2.5 cm)
Endometrium (menstrual cycle) — Endometrium over myometrium, by cycle phase: straight glands in the proliferative phase, coiled secretory glands with oedematous stroma and coiled spiral arteries in the secretory phase, and the shedding functionalis in menstruation. (endometrium 1–7 mm)
Fallopian tube (ampulla) — The ampulla cut across: branching mucosal folds lined by ciliated and peg cells, inner circular and outer longitudinal muscle, and serosa. (≈ 6 mm across)
Placental villi — Villous trees hanging from the chorionic plate into maternal blood: a syncytiotrophoblast covering with syncytial knots, cytotrophoblast, stroma with fetal capillaries and Hofbauer cells, an anchoring villus on the decidua and a maternal spiral artery. (villi 0.05–0.5 mm)
Mammary gland lobule — A terminal duct-lobular unit: a duct and ductules lined by luminal cells with myoepithelial cells outside, alveoli in loose intralobular stroma, dense interlobular stroma and fat. Lactating alveoli swell with milk and fat droplets. (lobule ≈ 1–2 mm)
Cervix (transformation zone) — Where ectocervix meets endocervix: stratified squamous epithelium, squamous metaplasia in the transformation zone with a Nabothian cyst, and mucinous columnar endocervical epithelium with crypts. (epithelium ≈ 0.3 mm)