MICRO HSB A

EPITHELIAL TISSUE (Dr.

Bardelosa)
CHAPTER 4: EPITHELIAL TISSUE
Epithelial Tissue
- Cellular sheets that lines the cavities of organs and
cover the body surface
- Principal function includes:
Covering, lining and Protecting
Absorption
Secretion
Characteristic Features of Epithelial Tissue
Cell Shape:
1. Columnar
- Tall cells and have elongated nuclei
2. Cuboidal or Pyramidal
- Have more spherical nuclei
3. Squamous
- Have flattened nuclei
Most epithelia lie on connective tissue
Lamina Propria the connective tissue lining the organs of the
digestive, respiratory and urinary system
Basal pole the region of the cell contacting the connective
tissue
Apical pole opposite end of the region of the cell
Basement Membranes
- It is a thin extracellular layer of basement proteins
- Always lies at the interface of the epithelial cells and
connective tissue
- Binds factors important for interaction with other cells
and also serves as semipermeable barrier
- With transmission electron microscope, the basal
membrane may be resolved into two structures:
a. Basal Lamina
- Extracellular epithelial layer seen unstructurally
- Secreted at the basal pole of the cell membrane

Components:
i.
Laminin
ii.
Type IV collagen
b.
Reticular Laminae
Components are Type III collagen and Type VII
collagen
These are held together by the adhesive glycoprotein
entactin/nidogen and by perlecan, a proteoglycan
Components of the basal lamina helps organize proteins
in the plasma membrane of epithelial cells
Functions of Basement Membrane
1. Provide structural support and polarity to epithelial cells
2. Attach epithelia to underlying tissue
Intracellular Adhesions and Other Junctions
1. Tight or Occluding Junctions
- Forms a seal between adjacent cells; seal is due to the
interaction of proteins called claudin and occludin
- Prevents paracellular pathway
- Appears as a band of branching strands that surrounds
each apical end
- Two membranes of Tight Junctions:
a. Apical cell membrane part of the luminal
compartment
b. Basolateral domains part of the basal compartment
2. Zonula Adherens
- An adherent junction firmly anchoring a cell in its
neighbors
Cadherens
Catenin
- Actin filaments forms a cytoskeletal feature at the
apical pole and has a role in cytoplasmic motility
- Desmosome forms a very strong attachment and plays
a major role in maintaining the integrity of an epithelium
3. Gap Junctions
- Mediates communication
- Serves as intercellular channels for flow of molecules

- Connexins gap junction proteins

- Connexons hexameric complexes
Hemidesmosome binds epithelial cells to underlying basal
lamina; contains integrins

Tangca, Mary Ann F.

2015MD478 | 1-F

Specialization of the Apical Cell Surface

1. Microvilli
- Small membrane projections found in the apical surfaces
- Visible as brush or striated border
- Glycocalyx covers intestinal materials
2. Stereocilia
- Increases the cells surface area thus, facilitating
absorption
- Have arrays of actin filaments and various actin binding
proteins
- Longer and less motile than a microvilli
3. Cilia
- Long projecting structures larger than microvilli
- Primary cilium not motile but is enriched with receptors
and signal transduction complexes
- Motile cilia found only in epithelia

Basal bodies apical cytoplasmic structures just below

the cell membrane that forms rootlets anchoring the
entire structure of the cytoskeleton

Types of Epithelia
Covering or Lining of Epithelia
1. Simple Epithelia contain one cell layer
2. Stratified Epithelia contains two or more layers
Based on Cell Shape:
1. Squamous thin cells
2. Cuboidal cells width and thickness are roughly the
same
3. Columnar cells taller than they are wide
A. Stratified squamous keratinized epithelium
- Found mainly in the epidermis if the skin where it helps
prevent dehydration from tissue
- Keratinization process of accumulating keratin
B.Stratified squamous nonkeratinized epithelium
- Lines wet cavities where water loss is not important (e.g.
mouth, esophagus, vagina)
C.Stratified cuboidal epithelium
- Restricted to excretory ducts of salivary and sweat
glands
D. Stratified columnar epithelium
- Can be found in the conjunctive of the eye where it is
both protective and mucus secreting
E. Transitional epithelium or Urothelium
- Protect underlying tissues from the hypertonic and
potentially cytotoxic effects of urine
F. Pseudostratified columnar epithelium
- Appears to be in several layers but their basal ends all
rest on the basement membrane
- e.g. lining of the upper respiratory tract
Secretory Epithelia and Glands
Glands
- Epithelial cells that function mainly to produce and
secrete various macromolecules

Secretory epithelial cells may synthesize, store and

release proteins, lipids and complex carbohydrates
Exocrine glands
- Retain their connection with the surface epithelium
- Its epithelia is composed of many small secretory
portions and ducts that transports secretion
outside the gland
Endocrine glands
- Lose the connection to their original epithelium and
therefore lack ducts
Glands can be:
a. Simple ducts not branched
b. Compound ducts with two or more branches
Secretory portions can be:
a. Tubular short, long or coiled
b. Acinar rounded like
Compound glands can have branching ducts and can
have multiple tubular, acinar or tubuloacinar secretory
portions

Also have well developed RER and golgi complex but

contains heavily glycosylated proteins called mucin
3. Mixed/Seromacous glands
- Have both serous acini and mucous tubules capped by
groups of serous cells
- Product is a mixture of digestive enzyme and watery
mucus
Myoepithelial cells rich in actin filaments and myosin and
their contractions help propel secretory products into and up
the duct system
Paracrine/Autocrine hormone secreting cell or on the
secreting cell itself

Three basic mechanisms for releasing their product:

1. Merocrine secretion
- No destruction
- Sweat glands
2. Holocrine
- Disintegration of the secretory cells themselves
- Total destruction
- Sebaceous glands
3. Apocrine
- Pinching off the apical portion of secretory cells
- Mammary glands
According to type of Secretion:
1. Serous glands
- Acini of the pancreas and parotid salivary glands
- Have well developed RER and golgi complexes and is
filled with secretory granules
2. Mucous cells