EPITHELIAL TISSUE

Cellular sheets that line cavities or organs and cover the body surface
Functions:
1. Covering, lining, and protecting surfaces (e.g. epidermis)
2. Absorption (e.g. intestinal lining)
3. Secretion (e.g. parenchymal cells of glands)
Features of epithelial cells:
1. Size & morphology of cells
o variable depends on function
o flattened, scale-like squamous
o cubes cuboidal
o columns/rectangular columnar
2. Nuclei:
o variable shape
o Columnar cells elongated
o Squamous cells flattened
o Cuboidal or pyramidal spherical
o Number & shape of stained nuclei indicative of number of cell layers
3. Connective tissue
Contain microvasculature
CT underlying lining epithelia in digestive, respiratory & urinary systems called lamina
propria
Tissues subjected to friction with small evaginations called papillae
4. Polarity
Region of cell in contact with CT basal pole
Region of cell at opposite end, facing a space apical pole
Region of cells adjoining neighboring cells lateral surfaces
5. Basement Membrane
Specialized, felt-like sheet of extracellular material at interface of epithelial cells and connective
tissue
Two parts: basal lamina and reticular lamina
Functions
a) Provide structural support and polarity
b) Attach epithelia to underlying connective tissue
c) Selective filter
d) Scaffold for epithelial repair and regeneration
e) Mediate cell-to-cell interactions
Basal lamina
o Nearest basal pole
o Consist of proteins secreted by the epithelial cells (also by myocytes and adipocytes)
o Component proteins:
Laminin immediately below cells basal poles
Type IV collagen felt-like layer
Laminin and type IV collagen held together by:
o Entactin/nidogen glycoprotein
o Perlecan proteoglycan
Reticular lamina
o Underneath the basal lamina
o Diffuse and fibrous
o Type III collagen reticular fibers
o Bound to basal lamina by type VII collagen
o Components produced by cells of connective tissue
6. Intercellular Adhesions/ Junctions
Provide adhesion and communication between cells
Present in definite order at apical end of cells
Three types:
a) Tight junctions
b) Adherent junctions
c) Gap junctions
Tight Junctions
o Aka occluding junctions (zonulae occludens) form a band completely encircling
each cell
o Form a seal between adjacent cells
o Most apical
o Major transmembrane link proteins: claudin & occludin
o Cytoskeletal components: actin filaments

Major functions:
a. Seal adjacent cells to one another
b. Control passage of molecules between cells
c. Separate apical and basolateral membrane domains
Adherent/Anchoring Junctions
o Zonula adherens; immediately below zonula occludens
o Major transmembrane link proteins: E-cadherin (cell transmembrane glycoprotein) &
catenin complexes (cytoplasmic proteins)
o Interact in presence of calcium
o Cytoskeletal component: actin filaments
o Major functions:
a. Provide points linking the cytoskeletons of adjacent cells
b. Strengthens and stabilizes nearby tight junctions
o Medical significance:
Loss of E-cadherin in epithelial cell tumors promote invasion and metastasis
o Desmosomes (Macula adherens)
Related adherent junction
Resembles a single spot-weld does not form a belt around the cell
Disc-shaped structures at surface of one cell matched with identical
structure at adjacent cell surface
Major transmembrane link proteins: cadherins (desmoglein & desmocolin)
Cytoskeletal components: intermediate filaments (keratins)
Major function: provide points of strong intermediate filament coupling between
adjacent cells strengthen the tissue
Medical significance: Autoimmunity vs. desmoglein I blistering (bullous)
diseases such as pemphigus vulgaris
o Hemidesmosomes
Adherent junction anchors cytoskeleton to basal lamina
Contain abundant integrins rather than cadherins
Cytoskeletal components: intermediate filaments
Medical significance: mutation in integrin-4 gene epidermolysis bullosa
o Gap Junctions
Channels for communication between adjacent cells
Major transmembrane link proteins: connexins
Form hexameric complexes called connexons
Major function: allow direct transfer of small molecules and ions from one cell
to another
Medical significance: mutations in connexin genes linked to certain forms of
deafness & peripheral neuropathy
7. Apical Cell Surface Specializations
Projecting structures on many tall or cuboidal epithelial cells
Main functions:
a) Increase apical surface area for absorption
b) Move substances along the epithelial surface
MICROVILLI
o Increase total absorptive area by 20- or 30-fold
o Lining epithelium of intestines visible as brush or striated border
o With many bundles of actin filaments cross-linked to each other
o Medical application: celiac sprue/ gluten sensitive enteropathy atrophy of villi
STEREOCILIA
o Special type of microvilli; longer and less motile
o Location: lining epithelium of epididymis and proximal part of ductus deferens
CILIA
o Larger than microvilli
o Contain internal array of micro-tubules (axonemes)
o Only motile cilia found in epithelia apical surface of cuboidal or columnar cells
o Medical application: Kartagener syndrome (immotile cilia syndrome)
o

TYPES OF EPITHELIA
A. Covering or Lining Epithelia
Major Form
SIMPLE (one layer of
cells)

Cell Form
Squamous

Examples
Endothelium of blood vessels
Serous lining of cavities
o Pericardium
o Pleura
o Peritoneum
(mesothelium)

o
o
o

Main Function
facilitate movement of
viscera (mesothelium)
active transport via
pinocytosis
secretion of biologically
active molecules

Major Form
PSEUDOSTRATIFIED

STRATIFIED (two or more

layers of cells)

Cuboidal

Covering the ovary, thyroid

Columnar

Lining of intestine, gallbladder

Cell Form

Examples
lining of trachea, bronchi,
nasal cavity

Squamous
keratinized (dry)
Squamous nonkeratinized (moist)

Epidermis

Cuboidal

Sweat glands, developing

ovarian follicles
Conjunctiva
Bladder, ureter, renal calyces

Columnar
Transitional

Mouth, esophagus, larynx,

vagina, canal

o
o
o
o
o
o

o
o
o

o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Covering
Secretion
Protection
Lubrication
Absorption
Secretion
Main Function
Protection
Secretion
Cell-mediated transport of
particles trapped in
mucous out of the air
passages
Protection
Prevents water loss
Protection
Secretion
Prevents water loss
Protection
Secretion
Protection
Protection

B. Secretory Epithelia and Glands

o Major function: production and secretion of various macro-molecules
o Products to be secreted found in membrane-bound vesicles called secretory granules
o Examples of secretions:
Substance
Gland Source
Proteins
Pancreas
Lipids
Adrenal, sebaceous glands
Complex carbohydrates and proteins
Salivary glands
Proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates
Mammary glands
Water and electrolytes
Sweat glands
o May be unicellular (e.g. goblet cells) seen in simple cuboidal & columnar epithelia, and pseudo-stratified
epithelia
o Development of glands (fetal life): proliferation and growth of covering epithelia into underlying
connective tissue differentiation
Endocrine Glands
Exocrine Glands
o Lose connection with original surface epithelium o Retain connection with surface epithelium
no ducts
connection forms the secretory ducts
o Secretions enter interstitial fluid and then o Secrete substances that enter ducts
o Secretions ultimately exit the body
bloodstream
o Examples: mucus, saliva and other digestive
o Secretions enter the body
secretions, sweat, tears
o Examples: all hormones such as growth
hormone,
insulin,
adrenaline,
estrogen,
testosterone
o Forms of Multicellular Glands
1. Simple (unbranched ducts) vs. compound (branching ducts)
2. According to type of secretory portions
a. Tubular (short or long and coiled)
b. Acinar or alveolar (rounded & sac-like)
c. Compound
o SIMPLE ducts do not branch
Branched
Branched
Class
Simple Tubular
Coiled Tubular
Acinar
Tubular
Acinar
Features
Long secretory
Several long
Secretory
Rounded,
Multiple saclike
portion; duct
secretory parts portion very
saclike
secretory parts
short or absent
that join to
long and coiled secretory
entering the
drain into one
portion
same duct
duct
Example
Mucous glands Glands in the
Sweat glands
Small mucous
Sebaceous
of colon;
uterus and
glands along
glands of skin
intestinal
stomach
the urethra
glands or crypts
of Lieberkuhn
o

COMPOUND ducts from several secretory units converge into larger ducts
Class
Tubular
Acinar (Alveolar)

Tubulo-alveolar

Features

Several elongated, coiled

secretory units and their ducts
converge to form larger ducts

Several sac-like secretory

units with small ducts
converging at a larger duct

Duct of both tubular and

acinar secretory units
converge at larger ducts

Example

Submucosal mucous glands

(of Brunner) in the duodenum

Exocrine pancreas,
mammary glands

Salivary glands; glands of

respiratory passages

ACCORDING TO METHOD OF RELEASING SECRETION

1. Merocrine Secretion
Most common method of protein secretion
Mechanism: exocytosis at apical end of secretory cells
Most exocrine glands
2. Apocrine Secretion
Mechanism: product accumulates at apical end extruded with bit of cytoplasm & cell
membrane
Droplets of lipids in mammary gland
3. Holocrine Secretion
Mechanism: cells undergoing terminal differentiation accumulate product complete cell
disruption with release of cell product & debris
Sebaceous glands