Epithelial Tissues: covers exposed
surfaces, lines internal passageways,
chambers and forms glands
It includes
Epithelia: layer of cell that
covers internal and external
surfaces. - covers exposed
surfaces of body - form
surface of skin and digestive,
respiratory, reproductive
and urinary tracts - more
delicat ethipelia line the
internal cavaties and
passageways, chest cavity,
spaces in the brain, inner
surfaces of blood vessels,
chambers of the heart
Glands: structure
that produce fluid
secretion and a
are either
attached/derived
from epithelial
Functions
Cellularity —
epithelial made
of mostly cells
bound together
by
interconnections
called cell
junctions
Polarity — polarity refers to the
presence of structural and
functional differences between
exposed and attached surfaces
epithelial with one layer of cells
has an exposed apical surface
and an attached basal surface —
both have different membranes
Control permeability —
substances entering/
leaving the body must
pass through an
epithelial tissue — some
are
impermeable/permeable
to certain things like
large proteins
Provide Sensation —
epithelia are
sensitive and the
sensory nerves prove
info about external/
internal enviro. —
ex. a mosquito on
the skin will make
you swap at it
Avascularity —
epithelial are
avascular, meaning
that they lack
blood vessels
epithelial tissues
get their nutrients
via diffusion/
absorption
Provide Physical
Protection — epithelia
protect exposed and
internal surfaces from
abrasion, dehydration
and destruction by
chemical/ biological
agents
Regeneration — epit.
cells which are
damaged/ lost are
replaced via cell
division
Attachment — base
of epithelium is
attached to a thin
noncellular,
complex structure
basement
membrane (aka
basal lamina) which
is made by basal
surface &
connective tissue
Produce Specialized
Secretions — epithelial cells
produce secretions called
gland cells Glandular
epithelium — inside, all of
epithelial cells produce
secretions that either
provide physical protection/
temp. regulation OR act as
messengers
Specializations
Production of
secretion that
provide physical
protection/ act as
chemical
messengers
Movement of fluids over
epithelial surface, providing
protection and lube
Movement of fluids
through epithelium, to
control permeability
functional regions
Apical Surface —
cell is exposed to
an internal/
external enviro.
Basolateral Surface —
include both the base,
where call attached to
underlying epithelial
cells/ deeper tissues AND
the sides, where cell
contacts its neighbours
Epithelia cells which line internal
passageways have microvilli, mostly present
on surfaces that involve absorption &
secretion — like digestive system and
kidneys Ciliated Epithelium — surfaces
covered by cilia (abt 250) — moves
substances over epithelial surface — ex.
cilia in lungs help mucus go into the nasal
passage where it captures particles
Intercellular Connections
Cell junctions specialized areas
of cell membranes that attach a
ell to another call or to
extracellular material
Tight junctions — aka occluding junction;
lipid portions of two plasma membranes
are tightly bound together by
interlocking membrane proteins —
prevents water & solutes from passing
b/w cells — isolates contents of lumen
(space inside cell)
Gap junctions — two cells are held together by two
interlocking transmembrane proteins called
connexons v
Desmosome — are
strong and can resist
stretching and
twisting - within
each cell is a complex
known as dense area
- dense area is
connected to
cytoskeleton, which
gives desmosome
its strength
Hemidesmosomes
— attaches to
extracellular
filaments in the
basement
membrane which
elks stabilize
position of
epithelial cell and
anchors it to
underlying tissue
it to
underlying tissue
Spot desmosomes
— small discs
connected to bands
of intermediate
filaments —
filaments stabilize
shape of cell
Extensive areas of opposing plasma
membrane Extensive areas of opposing
plasma membrane are connected by
transmembrane proteins called cell adhesion
molecules (CAMs), which bind to each other
and extracellular materials Membranes of
adjacent cells may also be bonded by a thin
layer of proteoglycans that contain
polysaccharide derivatives known as
hyaluronan
Classification of Epithelia
Simple epithelium— when one
layer of cells cover basement
membrane they are thin and
fragile — cannot mechanically
protect line only protected
areas inside body like internal
passageways and
compartments — like
pericardial, pleural, peritoneal
cavities (heart chambers, blood
vessels) present where
secretion and absorption occur
ex. intestines
Stratified epithelium
— several layers of
cells cover the
basement membrane
located in areas that
are exposed to
mechanical/ chemical
stresses — ex. skin
and lining of mouth
Stratified squamous epithelium —
series of layers located where
mechanical stresses are severe protects
against physical & chemical attacks —
ex. lining of mouth, surface of skin,
esophagus, anus
Simple squamous
epithelium — most delicate
type of epithelium located
in protected areas where
absorption & diffusion
occurs OR where a slick,
slipped surface reduces
friction — ex. alveoli in the
lungs, lining of heart/ blood
vessels
Mesothelium — simple squamous
epithelium that lines the body cavities
enclosing the lungs, heart , abdominal
organs pleura, pericardium,
peritoneum contain a layer of
mesothelium
Endothelium — SSE that lines inner surface of heart and blood vessels
Cuboidal Epithelia cells resemble
hexagonal boxes from their
apical surfaces w/ nuclei in the
centre
Stratified cuboidal epithelia — rare, located
along ducts of sweat glands and mammary
glands
Columnar Epithelia — rectangular the
densely packed cells are hexagonal, taller
& more slender than cuboidal epithelia
cells elongated nuclei crowded into narrow
band close to basement membrane height
is a huge distance b/w adjacent nuclei
Stratified columnar epithelia — rare, protects portions of pharynx,
epiglottis, anus, urethra, large excretory ducts
Simple columnar epithelium — found where
absorption/ secretion occurs & protect against
chemical stresses— ex. small intestine, stomach
Pseudostratified columnar epithelium — found in portions of
respiratory tract & male reproductive tract have cilia — in, nasal
cavity, trachea. bronchi includes many cells w/ many shapes and
functions can appear to be layered/ stratified — it is not
stratified bc every epithelial cell contacts the basement
membrane Stratified columnar epithelia — rar
Transitional Epithelia —
plump & cuboidal
unusual — tolerates
repeated stretching and
recoiling w/o damage
found in urinary system
— like, bladder, where
are volumes increase
and the lining is
stretched causing the
epithelia to look flat
Glandular Epithelia
Endocrine glands — ductless
glands produces endocrine
secretions called hormones,
which enter bloodstream
Hormones —
regulate/coordinate the
activities of various tissues,
organs, organ systems
glands include: thyroid gland
& pituitary gland can also be
part of epithelial surfaces —
like, lining of digestive tract,
pancreas, thyroid gland,
thymus
Exocrine glands — produce exocrine secretions
which are emptied onto skin surface or epithelium
lining an internal passageway via tubular ducts
Merocrine secretions — most common mode of
exocrine secretion product released from secretory
vesicles via exocytosis Mucin — merocrine secretion
that mixes with water to form mucus — lube that
captures microorganisms, foreign particles AND can
also cant food and reduce friction merocrine sweat
glands produce watery perspiration that helps cool the
body
Apocrine secretions — involves
loss of cytoplasm and secretory
product apical portion of
cytoplasm has secretory vesicles
and is then shed milk production
in mammary glands is a combo of
merocrine and apocrine secretions
Holocrine secretions — destroys gland cell During holocrine
secretion: Cell packed w/ secretory vesicles —> burst —>
releasing secretion —> killing cell further secretion depends
on replacing destroyed gland cells by division of stem cells
Sebaceous glands — associated with hair follicles and
produce oily hair coating
Types of secretion:
Serous glands — secrete a watery solution that
contains enzymes — ex. parotid salivary glands
Mixed endocrine gland — more
than one type of gland cell,
which may produce TWO diff.
exocrine secretions, one serous
and other mucous — ex.
submandibular salivary gland
Mucous gland — secrete mucins that
hydrate to form mucus — ex.
sublingual salivary glands &
submucosal glands of small intestine
Gland Structure
Unicellular exocrine glands — individual secretory glands
only UEG in the body are Mucous (goblet) cells, which
secrete mucins mucus cells scattered along epithelial cells
pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium that lines
trachea and columnar epithelium of the small & large
intestine have a lot of mucous cells
Multicellular exocrine glands
— secretory sheet, where
gland cells form an epithelium
that releases secretions into
inner compartment secretion
travels through one or more
ducts to the surface — ex.
salivary glands protect organ
from its own acids and
enzymes by producing mucin
Structure of the Duct — gland is
simple if it does not divide on its way
to gland cells — it is compound if
duct divides
Shape of secretory portion of
gland — glands whose glandular
cells form tubes are tubular
(tube shaped), can be straight/
coiled — those that form blind
pockets are alveolar/ acinar —
glands that form tubes and
pockets are tubuloacinar
Relationship
b/w ducts and
glandular
areas — gland
is branched if
many
secretory
areas share a
duct