Republic of Yemen ‫الجمهوريـــــــــــــة اليمنيــــــــــــة‬

University of Saba Region ‫جامعـــــــــــة إقليم سبأ‬

Faculty of Medicine ‫كليــــة الطب‬

Types of Tissue

Dr. Hasan Almansoub

Assistant Professor of Pathology and Pathophysiology
(Histopathology)
2023/9/4 1
 Cell sizes and shapes
■ The biggest cells are motor neurons,
which can be
up to 80 µm in diameter.
So many ■ Most cells are somewhere between 10
cell sizes
and and 30 µm.
shapes! ■ Some cells are quite small (red cells are
about 7 µm).
■ Cell shapes vary from round to
hexagonal to flat.
■ Nuclear shapes and locations vary too.
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 Cell sizes and shapes

Motor neurons (about 50-80 µm) Red blood cells (about 7 µm)

Hepatocytes (about 25 µm) Red blood cells

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 Cell sizes and shapes

Lymphocytes (about 9 µm) Red cells

Motor neurons and their nuclei Adipocytes and their nuclei

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 Histology
Something else to remember: slides show 2D images of 3D structures

Cross-
sections
Lengthwise
cuts

Aspergillus is a long, branching

Hollow ball and tube Solid ball and cylinder organism
Histologic Cells Tissues Organs Organ systems
Hierarchy
Tissues are composed of: (Cells - Extracellular matrix)
Organs are composed of: (Parenchyma (the cells that perform the main function of
organ) - Stroma (supporting tissue))
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 Embryonic Origin of Tissues
The zygote, or fertilized egg, is a
single cell formed by the fusion of
an egg and sperm. After fertilization
the zygote gives rise to rapid mitotic
cycles, generating many cells to
form the embryo. The first
embryonic cells generated have the
ability to differentiate into any type
of cell in the body and, as such, are
called totipotent, meaning each has
the capacity to divide, differentiate,
and develop into a new organism.
Each germ layer is identified by its
relative position: ectoderm (ecto- =
“outer”), mesoderm (meso- =
“middle”), and endoderm (endo- =
“inner”).

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 Types of Tissue
Four different types of tissue make up all
the organs and tissues in the body. These are:
1.Epithelia - covering cells
2.Connective tissue - 'space filling' tissue
3.Muscle - either striated or smooth
4.Nerves
Before you start looking at histology
sections in the other topics, if you can learn
to recognize different types of epithelia,
connective tissue, muscle and nerves, then it
will be much easier for you to understand
how these components combine to make up
the tissue that you are looking at, and
contribute to the functions of these tissues.
Blood is also covered in this section. This is
because blood vessels are found in the
connective tissue.
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 Epithelial Tissue
Objectives:
By the end of this lecture, you should be able to:
 Describe general characteristics of epithelial tissue.
 Discuss microscopic structure and distribution of
different types of epithelial membranes.
 Classify glandular epithelium according to different
parameters.
 Enumerate the functions of epithelial tissue.
 Understand the following clinical applications:
– Immotile cilia syndrome (Kartagener’s syndrome).
– Metaplasia.
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 Epithelial Tissue

General characteristics:
 Cells are tightly joined with little
intercellular space.
 Rest on a basement membrane.
 Avascular.
 High power of regeneration.
Classification:
 Epithelial membranes:
– Simple epithelium: one layer.
– Stratified epithelium: more than
one layer.
 Glands (Glandular Epithelium).

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 I. Simple Epithelium

1- Simple Squamous Epithelium:

One layer of flat cells with flat
nuclei. Provides smooth thin
surface.
Examples of sites:
– Endothelium (lining the cardio
vascular system, CVS).
– Lung alveoli.

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 I. Simple Epithelium

2- Simple Cuboidal Epithelium:

One layer of cuboidal cells with
central rounded nuclei.
Example of sites:
– Thyroid follicles
– Collecting tubules of the
kidney.

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 I. Simple Epithelium

3- Simple Columnar Epithelium:

 One layer of columnar
 cells with basal oval nuclei.
 Types:
» Non-ciliated:
Example of sites: Lining of
stomach, gall bladder &
intestines (with goblet cells).
» Ciliated: with cilia on free
surface.
Example of sites: Fallopian
tubes.
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 I. Simple Epithelium
4- Pseudo-Stratified Columnar:
 One layer of columnar cells.
 Some cells are tall.
 Others are short and don’t reach the surface.
 All cells rest on the basement membrane.
 Nuclei appear at different levels.
 Types:
» Non-ciliated:Example of sites: male
urethra (parts).
» Ciliated with Goblet Cells:
Example of sites (Respiratory
2023/9/4
Epithelium): trachea & bronchi.
13
 II. Stratified Epithelium
1- Stratified Squamous Epithelium:
– Multiple layers of cells.
– Basal cells are columnar
– with basal oval nuclei.
– Intermediate cells are
– polygonal with central rounded nuclei.
– Surface cells are flat with flattened nuclei.
– Types:
» Keratinized: with a layer of
» keratin on the surface.
Example of sites: epidermis of skin.
» Non-keratinized: without a layer of keratin on
the surface.
Example of sites: oesophagus.
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 II. Stratified Epithelium

2- Transitional Epithelium:
– Multiple layers of cells.
– Basal cells are columnar.
– Intermediate cells are
polygonal.
– Surface cells large
cuboidal with convex
free surface and may be
binucleated.
– Example of sites: Ureter
and Urinary bladder.
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 II. Stratified Epithelium
3- Stratified Columnar Epithelium:
– Multiple layers of cells.
– Basal cells are columnar.
– Intermediate cells are polygonal.
– Surface cells are columnar.
– Example of sites: large ducts of glands.

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 Different types of epithelial membranes
1.How Many Layers - simple, stratified, pseudostratified.
2.Shape of Upper Cell Layer - columnar, cuboidal, squamous (flattened)
3.Specialisations - keratinised, non-keratinised

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 Glandular Epithelium
Classification:
1- According to presence or
absence of ducts:
a. Exocrine: e.g. salivary glands.
b. Endocrine: e.g. thyroid gland.
c. Mixed: e.g. pancreas.
2- According to number of cells:
a. Unicellular: e.g. goblet cells.
b. Multicellular: e.g. salivary
glands.
18
 Glandular Epithelium

Classification:
3- According to mode of secretion:
a. Merocrine: No part of the cell is
lost with the secretion, e.g. salivary Mero- Apo- Holo-
glands. crine crine crine

b. Apocrine: The top of the cell is

lost with the secretion, e.g.
mammary gland.
c. Holocrine: The whole cell
detaches with the secretion, e.g.
sebaceous glands.

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 Glandular Epithelium
Classification:
4- According to shape of secretory part:
1. Tubular: e.g. intestinal gland.
2. Alveolar (acinar): e.g. mammary gland.
3. Tubulo-alveolar: e.g. pancreas.

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 Glandular Epithelium

Classification:
5- According to nature of
secretion:
a. Serous: e.g. parotid
gland.
b. Mucous: e.g. goblet
cells.
c. Muco-serous:
e.g. sublingual gland.
d. Watery: e.g. sweat
gland.
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 Glandular Epithelium
Glands are
invaginations of
epithelial
surfaces that are
formed during
embryonic
development by
proliferation of
epithelium into
the underlying
connective
tissues to form
secretory units. Skin
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 FUNCTIONS OF EPITHELIUM

1- Covering of external surfaces

2- Lining of internal surfaces
3- Protection as in epidermis of skin.
4- Secretion as in glands.
5- Absorption as in small intestine.
6- Excretion as in kidney.
7- Reproduction as in gonads.
8- Smooth lining as in blood vessels.

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 Clinical Applications

 Immotile cilia syndrome (Kartegener’s

syndrome):
– Disorder that causes infertility in male and
chronic respiratory tract infection in both sexes.
– It is caused by immobility of cilia and flagella
induced by deficiency of dynein.
– Dynein protein is responsible for movements of
cilia and flagella.

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 Clinical Applications

 Metaplasia:
– It is the transformation of one type of tissue to
another in response to injury. This condition is
usually reversible if the injury is removed.
– Example: pseudostratified ciliated columnar
epithelium of the respiratory passages, e.g.
trachea, of heavy smokers may undergo
squamous metaplasia, transforming into stratified
squamous epithelium.

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 Squamous Metaplasia

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 ‫‪Republic of Yemen‬‬ ‫الجمهوريـــــــــــــة اليمنيــــــــــــة‬
‫‪University of Saba Region‬‬ ‫جامعـــــــــــة إقليم سبأ‬
‫‪Faculty of Medicine‬‬ ‫كليــــة الطب‬

‫‪2023/9/4‬‬ ‫‪27‬‬