Epithelia are avascular tissues consisting of closely apposed cells without intervening intercellular substances.

All epithelia "grow" on an underlying layer of vascular connective tissue. The connective tissue and the epithelium are separated by a basement membrane. Epithelium covers all free surfaces of the body, and lines the large internal body cavities, where it is termed mesothelium. The internal surfaces of blood and lymph vessels are lined by epithelium, here called endothelium. Epithelia are classied on the basis of the number of cell layers and the shape of the cells in the surface layer. Simple squamous epithelium - common in body, typically lines large body cavities, heart, alveoli, lymph and blood vessels. - nuclei are often attened or ovoid (egg-shaped) and are located close to the center of the cells. - both endothelium and mesothelium are included in this category. - nuclei of the squamous epithelial cells are also attened and often stain darkly. Simple cuboidal epithelium - appears cuboidal in sections perpendicular to the surface of the epithelium. - when viewed from the surface of the epithelium, they appear like small polygons. - found in small excretory ducts of glands, thyroid follicles, kidney tubules, and ovary surface. Simple columnar epithelium - nuclei are usually located at the same height within the cells - often closer to the base. - lines the internal surface of the GI tract. Think about plane of section:

Oblique sections will be visible in almost all slides of organs in which epithelium lines a surface with a very irregular prole. A single surface is usually not lined by several types of epithelia.

Stratied squamous epithelium - vary in thickness depending on number of layers present, with deepest cells (in contact with basement membrane) cuboidal or columnar in shape - aka the basal cell layer. - cells close to the surface become more attened. Stratied cuboidal and columnar epithelia - not commonly seen - stratied cuboidal (a two-layer) is seen in ducts of sweat glands. - stratied columnar epithelia are found in excretory ducts of mammary gland and salivary glands. Transitional epithelium - found exclusively in the excretory urinary passages. - shape of the cell in the surface layer varies with degree of distention of the organ. - most basal cells have a cuboidal or columnar shape, then several layers of polyhedral cells, and a supercial layer of convex, dome-shaped luminal cells. - when distended, we see only one or two layers of cuboidal cells followed by supercial layer of large, low cuboidal or squamous cells, resembling stratied squamous epithelium. Pseudostratied columnar epithelium - looks stratied but is not. - all cells are in contact with the basement membrane, but not all reach the surface of the epithelium. - nuclei are typically located in the widest part of the cell, and those of cells that dont reach the surface are often located at different heights. - found in excretory ducts of many glands, lining of the trachea Other Features of Epithelia Basement membrane or basal lamina - supports the epithelium. - acts as a selectively permeable lter between the epithelium and the connective tissue. - unless special stains are used, the basement membrane is rarely visible using light microscopy. - composed of two sublayers: - basal lamina (80nm) - consists of ne protein laments embedded in an amorphous matrix. - membrane proteins of the epithelial cells are anchored in the basal lamina. - components (two major laminin and collagen) are produced by epithelia. - reticular lamina - consists of reticular bers embedded in ground substance. - bers connect the basal lamina to the underlying connective tissue. - components synthesized by cells of the connective tissue.