his article is about epithelium in animal anatomy.

For the fungal structure of t

he same name, see Pileipellis.
Epithelium
Illu epithelium.jpg
Types of epithlium
Identifiers
FMA
9639
Anatomical terminology
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This article is one of a series on
Epithelia
Squamous epithelial cell
Simple Stratified
Columnar epithelial cell
Simple Stratified Pseudostratified
Cuboidal epithelial cell
Simple Stratified
Specialised epithelia
Olfactory Respiratory Intestinal Transitional Germinal female male
Other
Table of epithelia of human organs
v t e
Epithelium (epi- + thele + -ium) is one of the four basic types of animal tissue
, along with connective tissue, muscle tissue and nervous tissue. Epithelial tis
sues line the cavities and surfaces of blood vessels and organs throughout the b
ody.
There are three principal shapes of epithelial cell: squamous, columnar, and cub
oidal. These can be arranged in a single layer of cells as simple epithelium, ei
ther squamous, columnar, cuboidal, pseudo-stratified columnar or in layers of tw
o or more cells deep as stratified (layered), either squamous, columnar or cuboi
dal. All glands are made up of epithelial cells. Functions of epithelial cells i
nclude secretion, selective absorption, protection, transcellular transport, and
sensing.
Epithelial layers contain no blood vessels, so they must receive nourishment via
diffusion of substances from the underlying connective tissue, through the base
ment membrane.[1][2]Cell junctions are well-employed in epithelial tissues.