Human Anatomy and

Physiology

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• Matt has gluten enteropathy, also called
celiac disease
• Celiac disease results from an inappropriate
immune response to gluten, a group of
proteins found in wheat and various other
grains
• Matt has bouts of diarrhea because his
intestinal lining is unable to properly absorb
water and nutrients.
• The poor absorption is due to a reduced
number of villi, or folds of the intestinal
lining, and reduced transport capacity of the
remaining cells within the villi.

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Tissues and Histology
• cells with similar structure and function
• extracellular substances
• his-tol′ ō -je; histo-, tissue + -ology, study = study of tissues

Changes in tissue due to:

• growth and development
• aging
• trauma or disease

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Four basic tissue types

• epithelial
• connective
• muscle
• nervous

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Epithelium

• ep-i-thē′ lē-ŭm; pl. epithelia, ep-i-thē′ lē-ă; epi, on + thele,

covering or lining
• covers external and internal surfaces throughout the body
• most have a free surface
• basal surface adjacent to a basement membrane
• attaches the epithelial cells to underlying tissues
• a single layer or multiple layers of cells

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Epithelium

• basement membrane – a meshwork of protein molecules with

other molecules bound to them
• as a filter
• as a barrier to the movement of cells

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Functions of Epithelia

• Protecting underlying structures

• Acting as a barrier
• Permitting the passage of substances
• Secreting substances
• Absorbing substances

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Stratified Cuboidal Epithelium
• consists of more than one layer of cuboidal epithelial cell
• relatively rare
• found in sweat gland ducts, ovarian follicular cells, and the
salivary glands
• functions in absorption, secretion, and protection

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Stratified Columnar Epithelium
• consists of more than one layer of epithelial cells
• but only the surface cells are columnar
• deeper layers are irregular or cuboidal in shape
• relatively rare
• found in the mammary gland ducts, the larynx, and a portion
of the male urethra
• carries out secretion, protection, and some absorption

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Structural and Functional Relationships

Cell Layers and Cell Shapes

• number of cell layers and the shape of the cells reflect the
function the epithelium performs

Two important functions:

• controlling the passage of materials
• protecting the underlying tissues

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Structural and Functional Relationships

• simple epithelium found in organs that primarily function to

move materials
• stratified epithelium well adapted for its protective function

• shape and number of layers of epithelial cells can change if

they are subjected to long-term irritation or other abnormal
conditions

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Structural and Functional Relationships

Free Surfaces
• can be smooth or lined with microvilli or cilia
• smooth free surface – reduces friction as material moves
across it
• microvilli – cylindrical extensions of the cell membrane that
increase the free surface area
• cilia – propel materials along the free surface of cells
• goblet cells – specialized mucus-producing cells

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Cell Connections

Tight junctions
• bind adjacent cells
together and form
permeability barriers
• prevent the passage of
materials between
epithelial cells
• found in the lining of the
intestines and in most
other simple epithelia
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Cell Connections

Desmosomes
• mechanical links that bind
cells together
• found in epithelia
subjected to stress
• e.g. stratified squamous
epithelium of the skin

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Cell Connections

Hemidesmosomes
• anchor cells to the
basement membrane

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Cell Connections

Gap junctions
• small channels that allow
small molecules and ions
to pass from one
epithelial cell to an
adjacent one
• act as communication
signals to coordinate the
activities of the cells

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Gland

• a structure that secretes substances onto a surface, into a

cavity, or into the blood
• primarily of epithelium and are multicellular
• classified as unicellular glands, sometime unicellular (e.g.
goblet cells)
• exocrine glands – glands with ducts
• endocrine glands – no ducts and empty their secretions
(hormones) into the blood

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Exocrine glands - classified according to how products
leave the cell

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