Tissue concept;

Epithelial Tissue (overview of structure and function, classification of

epithelium, basal lamina & basement membrane, intercellular
adhesion/junctions, the apical domain (microvili, cillia), covering epithelia.
Epithelial Tissue (glandular epithelium- classification, type of secretion, etc )

Short course for medical students

Microscopy:
 Simple squamous epithelium (mesotelium);
 Simple cuboidal epithelium (kidney);
 Simple columnar epithelium (kidney);
 Pseudostratified epithelium (trachea);
 Stratified nonkeratinized squamous epithelium
(cornea);
 Stratified squamous keratinized
epithelium(epidermis);
 Transitional epithelium (urinary bladder)
 Exocrine glands (glandule parotids);
 Endocrine glands (thyroid gland);
Tissues are aggregates or groups of cells organized
to perform one or more specific functions.

Tissues main components are

Cells and extracellular matrix.
 Tissue classification
based on structure of
cells, composition of
noncellular -
extracellular matrix,
and cell function.
Epithelial – covers body
Connective – underlies or supports the
surfaces, lines body cavities other three basic tissues, both
and forms glands structurally and functionally

Muscle – is made up of Nervous – receives, transmits and

contractile cells and is integrates information from outside
responsible for movement and inside the body to control the
activities of the body.
 In classifying the basic tissues, two different
definitional parameters are used:
◦ For epithelial and connective tissues – morphologic;
◦ For muscle and nerve tissues – functional.
 The same parameters exist in designating the
tissue subclasses:
◦ For example, whereas muscle tissue itself is defined by
its function, it is sub classified into smooth and striated
categories, a purely morphologic distinction
 Epithelial cells are always adjacent with one another and
usually joined by specialized cell-to-cell junctions – create
a barrier the free surface and adjacent connective tissue;
 Intercellular space is minimal and devoid of any structure
except where junctional attachments are present;
 Free surfaces are characteristic of exterior of the body, the
outer surface of many internal organs, and the lining of the
body cavities, tubes, and ducts, both those that ultimately
communicate with the exterior of the body and those that
are enclosed. The enclosed body cavities and tubes include
the pleural, pericardial, and peritoneal cavities as well as
the cardiovascular system.
Sub classifications of epithelium - based on the shape of the
cells and the number of cell layers rather than on function.
 Connective tissue cells are separated from
one another;
 The intermediate spaces are occupied by
material – extracellular matrix - produced by
the cells;
 Sub classification of connective tissue takes
into account not only the cells but also the
composition and organization of the
extracellular matrix
 Muscle cells are characterized by large amounts
of contractile proteins actin and myosin in their
cytoplasm and their particular cellular
arrangement in the tissue
 Although the shape and arrangement of cells in
specific muscle types (e.g. smooth muscle,
skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle) are quite
different, all muscle types share a common
characteristic: the bulk of the cytoplasm consists
of contractile proteins actin and myosin.
 Nerve tissue consists of nerve cells (neurons)
and associated supporting cells of several
types called neuroglial cells;
 Nerve cells or neurons are highly specialized
to transmit electrical impulses from one site
in the body to another;
 They are also specialized to integrate those
impulses;
 Ectoderm – two
major classes:
surface ectoderm
and neuro-
ectoderm (neural
tune and neural
crest);
 Mesoderm;
 Endoderm
 Recognition of tissue is based on the
presence of specific components within cells
and on specific cellular relationships;
 The first goal is to recognize aggregates of
cells as tissues and determine the special
characteristics that they present;
 Organs are three-dimensional, whereas
histological sections are only two-
dimensional
 Epitelium is an avascular tissue composed of cells that
cover the exterior body surfaces and line internal closed
cavities (including the vascular system) and body tubes
that communicate with the exterior (the alimentary
(nutritive), respiratory and genitourinary tracts).
 Epithelium is also form the secretory portion (parenchyma)
of glands and their ducts.
 Specialized epithelial cells function as a receptors for the
special senses (smell, taste, hearing and vision)
Cover Glands Sense of taste
 They are closely apposed and adhere to one
another by means of specific cell-to-cell
adhesion molecules that forms specialized cell
junctions;
 They exhibit functional and morphologic polarity.
Different functions are associated with three
distinct morphologic surface domains: free
surface or apical domain, a lateral domain and
basal domain;
 Their basal surface is attached to a an underlying
basement membrane
Microvili Stereocilia
Cilia (motile cilia, primary cilia, nodal cilia)
Occluding Junctions Macula adherens (Desmosomes)
Gap junction
(nexus) –
creates a
conduct
between two
adjacent cells
for passage
small ions
and
informational
micro-
molecules
Kidney section showing the collagen type IV of the
glomerular and tubular basement membranes (arrows).
 Structural attachment – serves
as an intermediary structure in
the attachment of cells to
adjacent connective tissue;
 Compartmentalization –
separate or isolate the
connective tissue from
epithelia;
 Filtration – the movement of
substances to and from the
connective tissue partially is
regulated by basal lamina
largely through ionic charges
and integral spaces.
Tissue scaffolding – serves
as a guide during
regeneration. Newly formed
cells or growing processes of
a cell use the basal lamina
that remains after cell loss,
thus helping to maintain the
original tissue architecture;
Regulation and signaling –
many molecules that reside in
basal lamina interact with cell
surface receptors, influencing
epithelial cell behavior.
Diagrams of simple epithelial tissue.
A: Simple squamous epithelium.
B: Simple cuboidal epithelium.
C: Simple ciliated columnar epithelium.
All are separated from the adjacent
connective tissue by a basement
membrane.
Diagrams of stratified and
pseudostratified epithelia.
A: Stratified squamous epithelium.
B: Transitional epithelium.
C: Ciliated pseudostratified epithelium.
The goblet cells secrete mucus, which
forms a continuous mucous film over
the ciliary layer.
 Typical Locations: vascular system (endothelium),
body cavities (mesothelium), Bowman’s capsule
(kidney), Respiratory spaces in lung (alveoli)
 Major function: Exchange, barrier; Lubrication;
Mesothelium
MC: mesothelial cells
CT: Connective tissue
A: Adipose cells

Mesothelium lines certain

body cavities, such as the
pleural and peritoneal
cavities and covers the
viscera.
Mesothelium
N: nucleus
The mesentery was
placed on the slide and
prepare for microscopic
examination. By this
method, the boundaries of
the surface mesothelial
cells are delineated as
black lines by
precipitated silver. Cells
are in close apposition to
one another and they are
a polygonal shape.
Renal capsule
N: nucleus
PCT: proximal convoluted
tubule
US: urinary space
SSE: simple squamous
epithelium
CT: connective tissue
 Typical locations: Small ducts of exocrine
glands; Surface of ovary (germinal epithelium),
Kidney tubules, Thyroid follicles
 Major Function: Absorption, conduit; Barrier;
Secretion
Pancreatic duct
PD: pancreatic duct
N:nucleus
TB: terminal bars
CT: connective tissue

Careful examination of the

free surface of epithelial
cells reveals some of
terminal bars between
adjacent cells
Kidney

The arrows point to the

lateral cell boundaries;
note that cell width
approximates cell height
 Typical locations: Small intestine and colon, Stomach
lining and gastric glands, Gallbladder

 Major Function: Absorption and secretion.

Colon
GL: intestinal glands
CT: connective tissue

The light staining “goblet”

(arrows) that contains the
cell’s secretory products
 Simple cuboidal

Simple columnar
 Typical locations: Trachea and bronchial tree
(respiratory epithelium), Ductus defences,
Efferent ductules of epididymis

 Major Function: Secretion; Conduit; Absorption.

Trachea
CC: columnar cells
BC: basal cells
C: cilia
CT: connective tissue
The columnar cells, which
contain elongate nuclei
and posses cilia, extend
from the surface to the
basement membrane
(clearly visible in the
trachea as a thick,
acellular, homogeneous
region that is part of the
connective tissue. All of
the cells rest on the
basement membrane.
 Typical locations:
Epidermis (keratinized),
Oral cavity , esophagus,
cornea, vagina
(nonkeratinized)

 Major Function: Barrier,

protection
Stratified squamous
nonkeratinized (moist)
epithelium of the
esophagus.

The most superficial

cells (arrow) have the
form of very thin
scales. PT stain.
Medium magnification.
 1

1. Squamous (superficial) cell;

2. Wing cells;
3. Basal (columnar) cells.
Nasal cavity Thin skin

Thick skin
 Layers of Epidermis (skin)
cornified layer (stratum corneum);

clear/translucent layer (stratum

lucidum, only in palms and soles;

granular layer (stratum

granulosum);

spinous layer (stratum spinosum);

basal/germinal layer (stratum

basale/germinativum).
 Typical locations: Sweat gland ducts, Large ducts
of exocrine glands, Anorectal junction

 Major Function: Barrier, conduit

 Typical locations: Renal calyces, Ureters,
Bladder, Urethra
 Major Function: Barrier, distensible property
 CT: connective tissue
The stratified epithelium that changes in appearance
according to the degree of distension of the bladder.
In nondistended state, as here, it is about four or
five cells deep. The surface cells are large and dome
shaped. The cells immediately under the surface
cells are pear shaped and slightly smaller. The
deepest cells are the smallest, and their nuclei
appear more crowded. When the bladder is
distended, the superficial cells are stretched into
squamous cells.

surface cells (umbrella shaped)

sometimes bi-nucleated
eosinophilic glycoprotein coat (impermeable to urine)
connected to one another by desmosomes so that they maintain position
when stretched/relaxed
desmosomes contract –> umbrella cells flatter –> prevent damage from
high pressure of urine
surface cells alter thickness during distension –> bear pressure of urine
Glandular epithelia are formed
by cells specialized to produce
secretion. The molecules to be
secreted are generally stored in
the cells in small membrane-
bound vesicles called secretory
granules;

Glandular epithelial cells may

synthesize, store and secrete
proteins (eg. Pancreas), lipids
(eg. Adrenal, sebaceous
Pancreas Adrenal
glands), or complexes of
carbohydrates and proteins
(eg. Salivary glands).

Salivary glands Sebaceous glands

Unicellular glands (eg.
goblet cell) consist of
isolated glandular cells,
and multicellular glands
are composed of clusters of
cells;

Multicellular glands -
Endocrine glands are
ductless and their secretions
are picked up and
transported to their site of
action by the bloodstream
rather than by a duct
system.
Multicellular glands -
Exocrine glands retain their
connection with the surface
epithelium from which they
originated.

Exocrine glands can be

classified as merocrine,
holocrine and apocrine.
 Formation of glands from covering epithelia
Epithelial cells proliferate
and penetrate connective
tissue. They may—or may
not—maintain contact with
the surface. When contact
is maintained, exocrine
glands are formed; without
contact, endocrine glands
are formed. The cells of
endocrine glands can be
arranged in cords or in
follicles. The lumens of the
follicles accumulate large
quantities of secretions;
cells of the cords store only
small quantities of
secretions in their
cytoplasm.
Exocrine glands forms Endocrine glands forms
a

a. Intra epitelium gland cells a. Rudimentary endocrine glands ;

b. Endo epithelium gland b. cellular bands;
c. Extra epithelium gland c. follicular gland
Principal types of exocrine glands
Pancreas – compound acinar gland
Salivary gland
 Compound tubuloacinar glands, which have both
mucous branched tubular and serous branched acinar
secretory units