11/25/2011

Lecture III

Epithelial Tissue

Bismark Oliver C. Lemana, M.Sc.

Biological Sciences Department, College of Science
University of Santo Tomas, Manila

Epithelial Tissue
• Gr. epi – upon; thele – nipple
• Polyhedral in shape
• Nucleus can identify the tissue type
• Small extracellular matrix
• Functions:
– Covering, lining, protection (skin)
– Absorption (intestines)
– Secretion (glands)
– Contractility (myoepithelia)

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Lamina Propria
• Connective tissue support (internal organs)
• Nourishment to epithelia
• Binds underlying structures

Papillae
• L. papilla – nipple
• Evaginations caused by contact of epithelium
and lamina propria
• Surfaces subject to friction

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Basal Lamina
• Between epithelia and connective tissue
• Visible only under EM
• Layers:
– Dense layer or lamina densa
– Clear layers or laminae lucida
• Macromolecule components (basal poles)
– Laminin
– Type IV collagen
– Entactin (nidogen) and perlecan

Basal Lamina

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Anchoring Fibrils

Other Functions of BL

• Influence cell polarity

• Cell regulation (division and differentiation)
– Binding/concentrating growth factors
• Influence cell metabolism and survival
• Protein organization (signal transduction)
• Pathways for cell migration
• Cell to cell communication

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Basement Membrane vs. BL

• Basement Membrane (BM)

– PAS-positive layer
– Basal lamina + reticular lamina
– Thicker than BL
– Visible under light microscope
• Basal Lamina (BL)
– Lamina densa + adjacent layers
– seen only under TEM

Intercellular Junctions

• Adhesion and communication between cells

• Exhibited by the lateral membranes
• Functions:
– Controls inter-cell material flow
– Sites of adhesion
– Channels for communication between adjacent
cells

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Tight Junctions
• Zonula occludens (pl. zonulae occludens)
• Claudin
– Transmembrane protein of ZO
– Allows direct inter-cell interactions
• Prevents flow of materials between cells
– Apical compartments
– Basal compartment
 Tissues with very few ZO are more
permeable to water and solutes and vice
versa

Adherent Junctions
• Zonula adherens
• Cadherins
– T.m. proteins of ZA
– Loses adhesive capabilities at a
loss of Ca2+
• Terminal web
– Numerous actin filaments that
allow cytoskeletal motility in
the apical pole

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Desmosomes
• Macula adherens (L. spot)
– Junction that does not run
around the cell
• Binds with intermediate
filaments
– Attachment plaques

Intercellular Junctions

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Gap Junctions
• Communicating junctions
• Found in the lateral membrane
• Connexons
– Complex of connexins
– Allows rapid exchange in cells (<1.5 nm)

Gap Junctions

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Hemidesmosomes
• Connection bet. Epithelia and basal lamina
• Resembles half a desmosome
• Integrins
– Attachment plaques of HD

Apicalcell Surface
Specializations
• Increase cell surface area
• Move substances or particles bound to the
epithelium
• Examples:
– Microvilli
– Stereocilia
– cilia

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Microvilli
• Cytoplasmic projections usu. temporary
• Permanent only in absorptive epithelia (small
intestines)
– Seen as striated or brush boarders

Stereocilia
• Lines the epididymis and ductus deferens
• Less motile than microvilli
• Facilitates movement

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Cilia and Flagella

• Refer to cytoskeleton discussion…
• Ciliary movement
– Frequently coordinated to permit a current of
fluid or particulate matter in one direction of
ciliated epithelium
– ATP dependent
Flagella is present only in the sperm cell of a
human body

Epithelial Tissue
• Secretion, protection, etc…
• General types of epithelia
– Covering or Lining
• Squamous, cuboidal, columnar, etc…
– Glandular
• Glands
Classification is arbitrary
– Covering may also function to secrete and vice
versa…

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Covering Epithelia
• Organized in a way that it lines the surfaces or
cavities of the body
• Classification is accdg. to number of layers:
– Simple epithelia
• Single layer of cells
– Stratified epithelia
• More than one layer

Simple Squamous
• Thin layered, nucleus flat
• Location:
– Lining of vessels (endothelium)
– Serous lining of cavities
– Pericardium, pleura, peritoneum (mesothelium)
• Functions:
– Movement of the viscera (mesothelium)
– Active transport (pinocytosis) (meso and endo)
– Secretion of biologically active molecules (meso)

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Simple Squamous

Simple Cuboidal
• Roughly thick as they are wide; round nuclei
• Location:
– Covering of the ovary and thyroid
• Function:
– Lining and secretion

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Simple Columnar
• Taller than they are wide
• Location:
– Lining of the intestines, gallbladder
• Function:
– Protection
– Lubrication
– Absorption
– secretion

Simple Columnar

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Pseudostratified
• Nucleus at different levels
• Heavily ciliated
• All cells are attached to the basal lamina
• Location:
– Lining of the trachea, bronchi, nasal cavity
• Function:
– Protection and secretion
– Cilia mediated transport of particles trapped in the mucus
out of the air passages

Pseudostratified

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Stratified Epithelia
• Classified based from the shape of the
superficial layer
• Types:
– Squamous (keratinized and non-keratinized)
– Cuboidal
– Columnar
– Transitional

Stratified Squamous
• Keratinized (Dry)
– Location:
• Epidermis
– Function:
• Protection; prevents dehydration
• Nonkeratinized (moist)
– Location:
• Mouth, esophagus, larynx, vagina, anal canal
– Function:
• Secretion; same with keratinized

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Stratified Cuboidal and

Columnar
• rare tissue types
• Stratified cuboidal
– Location:
• Sweat glands, developing ovarian follicles
– Function:
• Protection and secretion
• Stratified columnar
– Location:
• Conjunctiva
– Function:
• protection

Stratified Epithelia

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Transitional
• Neither columnar nor squamous
• Location:
– Urinary bladder, urethra, ureters, renal calyces
• Function:
– Protection
• “Umbrella cells”

Seatwork
• Get a ¼ sheet of paper
• Write your name, section and class number
• Instead of numbers, write letters A-J
• Give the type of epithelial tissues
– 3 minutes to answer

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J. (True or False) Basement membranes are visible

only under the TEM.

Answers:
A. Simple Columnar
B. Simple Columnar
C. Stratified squamous
D. Simple Cuboidal
E. Pseudostratified
F. Pseudostratified
G. Simple Squamous
H. Simple Columnar
I. Stratified Columnar
J. FALSE

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Glandular Epithelia
• Function: Secretes, Synthesize, Store
– Proteins, lipids, complex of proteins and lipids
• May be unicellular (isolated cells) or
multicellular (clusters – Endocrine or exocrine)

Multicellular Glands

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Exocrine Glands
• Maintains connection with the surface
• Glands with ducts

Exocrine Gland

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Exocrine Glands

Endocrine Glands
• Synthesize and secret hormones
• Ductless glands
– Products are secreted via the interstitial fluid
– Products diffuse through circulatory system
– Hormones binds to receptors
Pancreas
• One of the organs that possesses both endocrine
(Islets of Langerhans) and exocrine glands
• Endocrine secretion – Insulin
• Exocrine secretion – digestive juices

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Pancreas
ACINAR CELLS Exocrine- digestive juices

ISLETS OF Endocrine- insulin

LANGERHANS

Pancreas

Pancreatic ducts
(for digestive juices)

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Quiz
• Quiz next meeting
• Coverage
– Appendix on stains
– Chapter 1
– Chapter 2
– Chapter 4
• We will resume classes after the quiz next
meeting (Connective tissue)

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