Introduction to Histology Tissues of the Body Epithelial Tissue and Glands

Histology What and Why

Histology Study of Tissues (histos = web/tissue)

By extension, microscopic structure of the body

Basic Histology study of (primary) tissues Systemic Histology Organs and Systems

Also called microanatomy. Basis of function Stepping stone to cellular basis of disease histopathology

Histology

A Different World!

Microscopes many varieties Special preparation of material Largely two-dimensional Interpretation, analysis and application Histological scale

Unit of measurement Micron/micrometre ( or m) = 1/1000 mm or 10-6 m

Most material is in the form of sections (slices), usually 4 to 8 thick. Thinner sections for electron microscopy

The Cell

Details of cell biology and cell division are being covered elsewhere. If there are specific histology-related questions feel free to ask me!

The unit of life Cell membrane Cytoplasm

Organelles and their functions emphasis on mitochondria, rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, membrane-bound vesicles, lysosomes. Nuclear membrane Chromosomes seen as such only during cell division Chromatin

Nucleus

Euchromatin Lighter areas active, uncoiled DNA Heterochromatin Darker areas compact material A euchromatic nucleus is large, round and pale active cell

Primary (Basic) Tissues

Tissue a group of cells serving a common function. Immense variety of body structures all boil down to four principal tissue types

Epithelium, muscle, nervous tissue, connective tissue.

structure to be processed for microscopic examination).

(In histological technique the term tissue is used to mean any bit of body

Primary (Basic) Tissues

Epithelium

Covers body surfaces, lines organs and cavities. Sliding protein filaments movement. (Sliding protein filaments also the basis of movement at cellular level.

Muscle

Nervous tissue

Generation and transmission of electrical changes in cell membranes. Supporting cells also included. Binding and packing material mechanical strength, elasticity. Other types of support carrying nerves and blood vessels Wide variety of functions.

Connective tissue

Integration of Tissues
Small intestine as an example.

Cavity (lumen) with food.

Epithelium for lining secretion and absorption. Muscle for moving food. Connective tissue to join.
Nerves (not seen).

Epithelium

Covering external surface

Epidermis of the skin Cornea of the eye Hair and nails are epidermal structures Internal organs intestines, other tubular structures including heart and blood vessels. Body cavities Compact sheets of cells tailored into a variety of shapes Very little intercellular substance compactness Cell junctions integrity of sheets, cell-to-cell communication and other functions. Basement membranes Avascularity supporting tissue required.

Lining cavities

Characteristic structural features

Epithelium

Barrier between different environments.

Selective passage of substances across an epithelium variety of

mechanisms : diffusion, active transport, membrane-bound vesicles. Body and the exterior. Intestine selective absorption of contents.

Secretion and absorption Special functions

Protective barrier, thick covering. Sensory

Some functions demand a single layer of cells simple epithelium. Friction/wear and tear : Multiple layers of cells stratified epithelium.

Epithelium Classification

Simple epithelia named by shapes of cells.

Flat cells squamous Tall cells columnar Internediate cuboidal Stratified squamous Stratified cuboidal Stratified columnar Transitional (surface cells can change their shapes).
Stratified cuboidal and columnar epithelia : few examples. Transitional epithelium is found in the urinary system it will be studied later!

Stratified epithelia named by shapes of surface cells.

Epithelia as sheets

Simple squamous Simple cuboidal Epithelium as a tube Stratified squamous, keratinised

Simple columnar

Stratified squamous nonkeratinised Nucleated, flat surface cells

Simple Squamous Epithelium

Single layer of flat cells facilitates transport across cells.

Blood vessels. Allows exchanges across capillary walls, also maintains a smooth surface in the heart and other vessels. The latter is important as blood tends to clot on rough surfaces. Lungs gas exchange across epithelium. Air-containing spaces and blood capillaries are both lined by this epithelium. The blood-air barrier is thus made of two epithelial layers and some very fine connective tissue between the two. There are a few other sites where this epithelium is seen. These will be discussed with the relevant organs/systems. Also bear in mind that even for the sites mentioned above, the role of the epithelium will be discussed further when these systems are studied.

Simple Columnar Epithelium

Cells of simple columnar epithelium show specialisations suited to function.

Absorption
Secretory vesicles Golgi rER

Microvilli (Brush Border)

Secretion

Individual microvilli are too fine to be seen with the light microscope. With the LM, one sees only a pink band on the surface

Simple Columnar Epithelium

Cilia

Hairlike, motile projections. Each cilium anchored by a basal body. For movement of fluid on the surface. Fluid may be watery or viscous (mucus). Cilia beat in one direction.

Stages in the functional cycle of a mucus producing goblet cell.

Stratified (Compound) Epithelia

Two or more (usually) layers (strata)

Basal layer : rests on the basement membrane. Surface layer faces outward or faces the cavity. Named by the appearance of the surface cells.

Stratified Squamous Epithelium

In both these epithelia, the basement membrane is shown as a brown line. As the surface cells are rubbed off or shed, the cell numbers are maintained by division in the basal layer. Note that on the left, the cells at the surface are nucleated live. On the right, the surface layers are made of dead cells. The dead cells form the keratin layer a complex protein-lipid layer which is relatively waterproof. A keratinised surface is a dry surface (except when there is excessive sweating!). Note the most superficial living cells loaded with granules. These granular cells herald keratinisation. A non-keratinised surface is a wet surface. Where does one expect to find these epithelia?

Other Stratified Epithelia

Stratified cuboidal and columnar

Will be mentioned later.

Transitional

The shapes of surface cells change with degree of stretching.

Also, the cells have specialised surface features.

This is found in the urinary system and will be studied later.

Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelium.

Two or more cell types.

Small, undifferentiated cells.

Tall columnar differentiated cells.

All cells touch basement membrane.

False stratified appearance

Nuclei at different levels.

With ciliated cells

Nonciliated cells produce watery fluid. Uterine tube.

Trachea and other respiratory passages.

With ciliated cells and goblet cells.

Glands

Epithelial specialisation for secretion. A patch of epithelial cells

Or

A downgrowth that proliferates. Microscopic, part of an organ

Or

A large organ by itself. In either case, elements of supporting connective tissue exist.

Gland From an Epithelium

Cavity Ep
A portion of an epithelium grows into the underlying supporting connective tissue. The downgrowth develops into a secretory portion and a duct. This is an exocrine gland. If the duct disappears, an extensive capillary network collects the secretions in an endocrine Gland (4). 1 3

Types of Glands
Glands can be classified in may overlapping ways. Exocrine (with ducts) and endocrine (ductless). Exocrine glands :

Simple (single duct) and compound (branched duct system). Type of secretion serous, mucous or mixed. Mode of secretion extent of cytoplasmic loss.

Rather than making it a learning issue, it is fruitful to understand these terms as we come across them. Besides, there are glands that defy the concepts of classification! The following diagram serves to illustrate some of the types of glands. Some of the terms are purely descriptive!

A is a unicellular gland
(a goblet cell!).

B and C may be ignored!

They represent glands with no specialised duct portion.

D is a simple tubular
gland. E is a simple, coiled tubular gland.

In F and G, the duct is single, but the secretory portions are branched.

H is an unusual gland of a type found in the eyelid.

J and K are compound glands.
Round secretory units are described as acini or alveoli. It is also possible to see tubuloacinar secretory portions.

Cytoplasmic Loss

Merocrine (eccrine) gland

Little or no loss of cytoplasm. Partial loss of (apical) cytoplasm. Entire cell disintegrates to release secretion.

Apocrine gland

Holocrine gland

These terms are best understood in the context of glands of the skin.

Serous and Mucous Glands

A glandular unit with serous secretions shows round nuclei, well-stained cytoplasm and a small lumen. Usually the basal portion of the cytoplasm is basophilic due to rER, the apical portion with secretory granules is acidophilic. A mucous unit has cells loaded with lightly stained mucus in the cytoplasm. This pushes the nuclei towards the outer side.

Larger Glands

A larger gland is histologically a complex threedimensional structure with secretory units and branches of ducts sectioned in various planes. These details will be studied with the digestive system where we come across a variety of glands. It is, however, worth noting that such a proliferation of epithelial cells compresses the connective tissue. Such partitions of connective tissue separate parts of glands of varying sizes, called lobes and lobules. The connective tissue framework is called the stroma, the epithelial element is the parenchyma. These terms are met with in many solid structures.
Last slide!