HISTOLOGY LABORATORY NOTES ON EPITHELIAL TISSUE

F. WHEN VIEWING EPITHELIAL TISSUES

A. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EPITHELIAL TISSUE
1. Avascular – no blood vessels; oxygenation and nutrition
obtained from underlying connective tissue
2. Parts of a Gland
a. Parenchyma – secretory portion, composed of epithelial tissues
b. Stroma – structural portion, composed of connective tissues
3. Selective barrier – facilitates or inhibits passage of substances
between the exterior environment and the underlying connective
tissue
4. Distinct domains (area) that confer to polarity (divisions)
– epithelial tissues are divided into three areas: apical domain,
lateral domain, basal domain
3. Specialization of apical surface domain (apical modifications)
are also considered.
Ex. (1) simple columnar epithelium may be simple columnar
ciliated epithelium, (2) stratified squamous epithelium may be
stratified squamous keratinized epithelium
Specialized Epithelium:
1. Pseudostratified epithelium
– appears stratified although some of the cells do not reach the
free surface thus it is actually simple epithelium
– difficult to discern, identification usually depends on knowing
where it is found

B. THREE PRINCIPAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EPITHELIAL TISSUE 2. Transitional epithelium – aka Urothelium

– a stratified epithelium with special characteristic that allows it to
*** all epithelial tissues should exhibit the three principal
distend (expand), usually found in bladder and kidneys
characteristics
G. SIMPLE SQUAMOUS EPITHELIUM
1. Cell-to-Cell Adhesion Molecules (CAMs) / Cell Junctions – acts
as “zipper” to hold cells close to one another
Endothelium – lining of blood vessels
2. Basement membrane – composed of basal lamina and reticular
Mesothelium – lining of peritoneum and pleura
lamina

H. SIMPLE COLUMNAR EPITHELIUM

C. APICAL MODIFICATIONS – modifications in the apical domain of
an epithelial tissue. Some are present with:
Microvilli – increases surface area and absorption rate
Goblet cells – single cell glands, produces protective mucus
1. Microvilli – finger like extensions or folding. Found in kidney
proximal tubules, constitutes brush border of small intestine
I. PSEUDOSTRATIFIED EPITHELIUM
2. Stereocilia – longer but less motile. Found in epididymis, vas
deferens and sensory hairs of inner ear
Reproductive tract – vas deferens, epididymis
3. Cilia – whip like motile extension; moves mucus, fluids and
particles over epithelial surface in one motion. Found in:
J. STRATIFIED SQUAMOUS EPITHELIUM
a. Oropharynx – sweep mucus and trapped particulate matter
Non-keratinizing – flattened surface cells, retain their nuclei
b. Oviduct epithelium – helps transport ova and fluid toward the
Keratinizing – flattened surface cells, lose their nuclei, forms a
uterus
layer of dead keratinized cells
c. Flagella – extra long cilia that moves cell (ex. sperm cell)

K. TRANSITIONAL EPITHELIUM
D. EPITHELOID TISSUES – epithelial tissues that lacks apical
domain; are still classified as epithelium due to the (1) close
Urethra – proximal 1/3 of the urethra
apposition of cells and (2) presence of a basement membrane

*** EXCEPTION to the three principal characteristics

**nothing follows**
Found in: most endocrine glands such as Leydig cells in testis,
lutein cells in ovary, parenchyma of adrenal glands, islet of
Langerhans in pancreas, anterior lobe of pituitary gland

E. FUNCTIONS OF EPITHELIAL TISSUE

Secretion – ex. columnar epithelium of the stomach and gastric

glands
Absorption – ex. columnar epithelium of the intestines and
proximal convoluted tubules of the kidney
Mechanical protection – ex. stratified squamous epithelium of the
skin

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