Parenchymal tissue (animal organs)

Parenchymal tissue is the part of an animal organ that performs its characteristic functions, as distinct from supporting stroma and other structural components.

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Stroma (tissue): Stroma is an organ’s supporting framework, typically including connective tissue, blood vessels, and immune cells. It supplies the structural counterpart to the organ’s functional parenchyma.
Hepatocyte: A hepatocyte is the principal epithelial cell of the liver, carrying out most of its metabolic and synthetic functions. Hepatocytes constitute most liver parenchyma.
Tissue (biology): A tissue is an organized group of cells and extracellular material that performs related functions. Parenchyma is an organ-level arrangement of tissues and cells.
Organ failure: Organ failure is the loss of an organ’s ability to perform functions necessary for normal physiology. Loss or dysfunction of parenchymal cells can directly impair an organ’s defining tasks.
Extracellular matrix: The extracellular matrix is a network of molecules outside cells that provides tissues with structural and biochemical support. It forms much of the scaffold surrounding and organizing parenchymal cells.
Nephron: A nephron is the kidney’s microscopic unit of filtration and urine formation, comprising a renal corpuscle and tubule. Nephrons contain the functional epithelial structures of renal parenchyma.
Microvasculature: Microvasculature is the network of small blood vessels, including arterioles, capillaries, and venules, within a tissue. Parenchymal cells depend on nearby small vessels for oxygen, nutrients, and exchange.
Fibrosis: Fibrosis is excessive deposition of connective tissue that can distort tissue architecture and impair organ function. Fibrotic expansion of stroma can replace or disrupt functional parenchyma.
Basement membrane: A basement membrane is a thin extracellular matrix layer that supports and separates epithelial cells and some other cell types. It marks an interface between many parenchymal cells and their underlying support.
Alveolus: A pulmonary alveolus is a microscopic air sac where gas exchange occurs between air and blood. Alveolar structures are a major functional component of lung parenchyma.