CHAPTER 3: THE EPITHELIUM

Chapter Objectives:

At the end of this chapter, the student should be able to:

1. Recognize the four basic types of tissue.

2. Describe the characteristic features of the epithelium.

3. Illustrate the different types of epithelium and their specializations

4. Correlate the histological differences of the various types of epithelium to their associated
function.

Tissues are a group of similar cells specialized to carry on a particular function. Tissues are
composed of cells and its extracellular matrix which consists of structures that support the cell.
In humans, there are four basic types of tissues. They are Epithelial tissue, Connective tissue,
Muscular tissue and Nervous tissue. Epithelial tissues are the lining or covering of almost all the
body parts for protection, secretion and absorption. Connective tissues support soft body parts
and bind cellular structures together. Muscular tissues are for movement. Nervous tissues
conduct impulses to help control and coordinate body activities.

On this chapter we will study the different types and characteristics of epithelial tissues. Epithelial
tissues are characterized by a free surface open to the outside or an open internal space. There
is a basement membrane that anchors epithelium to an underlying connective tissue. In multi-
layered epithelium, the superficial layer is called the apical surface and the epithelial layer just
before the basement membrane is the basal layer. They generally lack blood vessels and readily
divide. Generally, they are tightly packed with little extracellular space.

Epithelial tissues can be classified based on the number of cell layers and the cell shape. According
to shape, there are three types as follows:

1. Squamous. These are thin, flat, polyhedral-shaped cells.

Cells are arranged compactly like the tiles of the floor hence called “pavement epithelium”. They
are cells that are much wider than they are tall and all cells of this type rest on the basement
membrane.

The air sacs of the lungs, linings of the blood and lymphatic vessels and linings of the ventral
cavities of the body are all composed of simple squamous epithelium.

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 2. Cuboidal. Epithelial tissues which are composed of cube-shaped cells.

They are cells that are roughly as tall as they are wide and have centrally located nucleus. The
cells are compactly arranged without any intercellular space and rest on basement membrane.
The surface of ovaries, the linings of most ducts and kidney tubules are some of the examples of
this type of epithelium.

3. Columnar. They are tall, elongated cells that are taller than they are wide.

The nucleus is located towards the base of the cell. Some of the cells are modified to secrete
mucous and acquire a characteristic “wine-glass appearance” termed “goblet cells”. This type of
epithelium is best seen lining the gall bladder. It is also seen in the stomach, small intestine and
colon.

According to the number of layers, epithelial tissues can be simple, composed of a single layer
of epithelium and stratified, consisting of 2 or more layers. When we combine both classifications
we will end up having the following: simple squamous consisting of a single layer of flattened
cells, simple cuboidal - single layer of cube-shaped cells, simple columnar - single layer of pillar-
like cells and many layers of epithelial cells having either flattened, cubed or pillar-like apical cells
that corresponds to stratified squamous, stratified cuboidal and stratified columnar respectively.
Two other types of epithelium exist as:

Pseudostratified epithelium - this type of epithelium appears stratified because nuclei are at
varying depths, usually at 2 or more levels but all cells touch a single basement membrane hence
referred to as false stratifications (pseudo, meaning false).

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 This type of epithelium may be found ciliated or non-ciliated with or without goblet cells. The
non-ciliated type is seen in sperm-carrying ducts and ducts of large glands. The ciliated variants
are seen in the trachea, and most linings of the upper respiratory tract.

Transitional epithelium or Urothelium – It has an important characteristic of being able to change

shape to adjust to the volume change in the organ it lines. When this type of epithelium is
stretched, the dome-shaped apical cells become flattened squamous cells, and the basal cells
become cuboidal or columnar depending on the degree of distension. The superficial cells are
often binucleated and lines the ureters, the urinary bladder and part of the urethra.

Specializations of the Apical Surfaces of the Epithelium

The epithelial surfaces may be endowed with cilia, microvilli or stereocilia. Cilia are wider and
longer motile structures compared to microvilli and functions in to transport materials along the
superficial layer of the epithelium. Microvilli, smaller and often seen in simple columnar
epithelium is mainly to aid in absorption. Stereocilia are long microvilli usually found in
pseudostratified epithelium which also help in absorption.

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