Histology Block 1 Review notes (Epithelium & Connective Tissues)

5 basic tissues
1. Epithelium
2. Connective tissue
3. Blood
4. Muscle
5. Nervous tissue

Epithelium
- Tissue composed of closely aggregated cells that are in apposition over a large part of their
surface and which have very little intercellular substance
- Cells rest on a continuous extracellular layer called Basal Lamina (basement membrane)

Origin:

- Ectoderm gives rise to the corneal epithelium and epidermis of the skin
- Endoderm lining the embryonic alimentary tract, gives rise to intestinal glands, liver, and
pancreas
- Mesoderm kidney, male and female reproductive tracts, continuous layer of the cells lining the
blood, lymph vessels, peritoneal cavity, serous cavities

Mesothelium lining of serous cavities

Endothelium lining of blood and lymph vessels

Functions:

Primary function of Simple Epithelium to form a boundary layer that can control movement of
substances between the external environment and the internal milieu,

- Absorption
- Secretion
- Excretion
- Transport
- Protection
- Sensory reception

Classification

- Number of cell layers simple, stratified

- Shape of cells squamous, cuboidal, columnar, pseudostratified, transitional

Types: Please refer to the handwritten histology notes on the last pages

- Simple squamous
- Simple cuboidal
- Simple columnar
- Stratified squamous
- Stratified columnar
- Pseudostratified columnar
- Transitional
Specialization of the epithelium

1. Specialized for cell attachment and communication

- intercellular bridge
- To assure firm attachment between cells
- Has an important role in regulation of growth and differentiation of cells
- Important role in coordination of function among groups of cells
2. Basement membrane of basement lamina
- Extracellular supporting layer
- Composed of collagen and polysaccharide substance
3. Specialization of the free surface
- Striated or brush border absorption
- Stereocilia - absorption
- Cilia to proper fluid or mucous films over the epithelial surface
- Flagella for sensory function

Blood vessel and nerve fiber

- As a rule, the epithelium is not penetrated by blood vessels

- Nutritive materials pass from the underlying connective tissue by diffusion
- Terminal branches of sensory nerve fiber pierce the basement membrane and run in the
interstices among the epithelial cells

Regeneration

(+) regeneration of epithelial cells

Connective tissue
- Diverse group of tissues that share a common origin from the mesenchyme of the embryo.

Types of Connective Tissue

1. Connective tissue proper
2. Cartilage and bone
3. Blood

Connective Tissue Proper

Function:

1. Mechanical support of tissues

2. Exchange of metabolites between the blood and tissues
3. Storage of energy reserves
4. Protection against infection
5. Repair after injury
Composition:

1. Cells
Fixed cells
Wandering cells
2. Extracellular components
Fibers
Amorphous

Ground substance (contains tissue fluid)

- Highly hydrated gel, translucent material which the cells and fibers of connective tissue are
embedded
Most invasive species of bacteria acquired the ability to produce the enzyme Hyaluronidase
(to depolymerize the hyaluronic acid of the ground substance)

Major glycosaminoglycans of connective tissue

1. Chondroitin sulfate
2. Keratin sulfate
3. Heparin sulfate
4. Hyaluronic acid abundant loose connective tissue in joint fluid and vitreous humor of the eye
Most of the tissue fluid is held by the hydrophilic glycosaminoglycans
Edema fluid accumulates in the extracellular matrix resulting a swelling of the tissue

Mesenchymal cells

- Mesenchyme - Connective tissue develop from the embryonic tissue

Cells:
A. Fixed Cells
1. Fibroblast
- Principal cell of the connective tissues
- Responsible for the production and long term maintenance of the extracellular
components
- Fusiform or flat or stellate with several slender processes
- Their elongated nucleus is apparent (easy to see), but the cell outline may be difficult to
make out because, when they are inactive, their cytoplasm may be eosinophilic like the
collagen fibers
Fibrocytes fibroblast becoming inactive in fiber formation
- Numerous microtubules that radiate from the centrosome are believed to maintain the
elongated shape of the cell

2. Mesenchymal cells
- Cells which retain the developmental potentialities in a n adult organism
- Smaller than fibroblasts and less highly differentiated
- Small fusiform or stellate cells not easily distinguished from fibroblasts
Mesenchyme connective tissues develop from the embryonic tissue
 3. Adipose/Fat cells
- Cells specialized for the synthesis and storage of lipid
- Nucleus is flattened and displaced to one side, and the cytoplasm is reduced to a thin
film around a single very large droplet of lipid

4. Macrophages/Histiocytes
- For phagocytosis (to maintain normal tissues by ingesting dead cells and cellular debris
and other particulate matter and breaking them down with lysozyme)
- Stellate or fusiform cells with nuclei that are smaller and darkly staining than those of
fibroblasts
- Difficult to differentiate from fibroblasts
- All macrophages arise from the monocyte
- Lifespan of 2 months
Resident macrophage absence of exogenous macrophage
Elicited macrophage mobilized at the site in response to a stimulus
Activated macrophage acquired enhanced phagocytic and antigen-processing activity in
response to a local stimulus

2 Categories of macrophages
a. Free Macrophages motile, wandered through the ground substance
b. Fixed Macrophage Sessile (attached directly by the base) cells that were stretched out
along collagen fibers
B. Wandering Cells
- Migratory cells that come from the blood
Neutrophils
Eosinophils
Basophils/Mast cells
Monocytes
Lymphocytes
Plasma cells

Extracellular components
A. Fibers responsible for the tensile strength and resilience
Collagenous fibers
- Present in all types of connective tissue
- Fiber run in all directions
- Main component is collagen
- Flexible but offer great resistance to a pulling force
- If collagen is denatured by boiling or chemical treatment, it yields the substance gelatin

Types of Collagenous Fibers

Type 1 Collagen most ubiquitous

- Dermis, bone, tendon, fascia, capsules of organs
Type 2 Collagen
- Hyaline, elastic cartilage
 Type 3 Collagen
- Loose connective tissue, walls of blood vessels, stroma of various glands, spleen,
kidney, uterus
Type 4 Collagen
- Basal lamina of epithelia
Type 5 Collagen
- Muscle fibers and basal lamina of epithelia
Type 6 Collagen
- Kidney, liver, uterus
Type 7 Collagen
- Dermo-epithelia junction of the skin
Type 8 Collagen
- Descemets membrane (basal lamina of the corneal epithelium)
Type 9 Collagen
- cartilage
Type 10 Collagen
- Hypertrophic chondrocyte
Type 11 Collagen
- Associated with type 2 collagen
Type 12 Collagen
- Tendon cartilage

Elastic fibers
- Fiber branch and anastomose to form networks
- Stretch easily and when released they return to their original length just like a rubber
band
- Main component is elastin which is resistant to boiling and dilute acid/alkali

Abundant in:
- Alveolar septa of the lungs
- The walls of blood vessels (Aorta)
- Ligamentum filavum of the vertebral column

Reticular fibers
- Very small fibers forming delicate networks rather than coarse bundles
- Main component is reticulin

Abundant in:
- Lymphoid and blood forming organs
- Liver
- Areas surrounding adipose cells, endothelium.,m., sarcolemma
- Endoneurium of nerves
 B. Amorphous Ground Substance
- Viscid solution or gel-like solution containing mucopolysaccharides like hyaluronic acid and
chondroitin sulfate
Functions:
- Formed elements are embedded in the ground substance
- Prevents the rapid spread of bacteria in the connective tissue
- Acts as a lubricant
- Contains tissue fluid which is the essential medium through which all nutrients and
wastes must pass between the blood and cells

Types of Connective Tissue Proper

1. Loose Connective Tissue

2. Dense Connective Tissue
a. Irregular
b. Regular
3. Connective Tissue with Special properties

1. Loose Connective Tissue

- Develops from the mesenchyme that remains after the other tissues of the embryo have been
formed
- Contains several potential spaces (like a collapsed sponge)
- Also called areolar tissue (small space or area)
2. Dense Connective Tissue
- Has a greater number of fibers over the cellular and amorphous components
a. Dense irregular connective tissue
- Fiber bundles are randomly oriented

Found in:

- dermis of the skin

- organ capsules
- tendon and nerve sheath
- beneath the urinary tract epithelium
b. Dense regular connective tissue
- Fibers are oriented parallel to one another or has a consistent pattern

Found in:
- Tendons
- Fascia
- Ligaments
- Cornea

3. Connective Tissue with Special Properties

a. Mucous (embryonic) connective tissue
- A form of loose connective tissue found in many parts of the embryo especially under
the skin
- A classic example is Whartons Jelly of the umbilical cord
- Intercellular substance is very abundant and jelly-like
b. Elastic connective tissue
- Dense connective tissue with predominance of elastic fibers

Found in:

- Ligamentum flavum
- Vocal cords
- Large elastic arteries
c. Reticular connective tissue
- Predominance of reticular fibers

Found in:
- Liver sinusoids
- Lymphatic tissues
d. Adipose tissue
- Made up of adipose cells