BUTUAN DOCTORS’ COLLEGE

Butuan City

Jasselle D. Ocba
Name: _______________________________ Remarks: _____________
BSMT 1- B
Program, level and section: _______________ 8/31/22
Date Submitted: ________

Laboratory Worksheet No. 6

THE EPITHELIAL TISSUE

OBJECTIVES: At the end of the Laboratory Worksheet, the students shall be able to:
1. Identify the epithelial tissues based on the number of cellular layers and the
shape of the component cells;
2. Appreciate the characteristics of the epithelial tissues based on the images
shown; and
3. Describe the glandular epithelium as a specialized epithelium.

INTRODUCTION:

Epithelial tissues are made up cells that closely packed together with scanty
intracellular substances or matrix between cells. They occur in sheets and composed of
single or several layers of epithelial cells. The epithelial tissues are non-vascularized
therefore nourished by the lymph and by diffusion of nutrients from the underlying
connective tissue. They are innervated or highly supplied with nerves

Functionally, they form the outer protecting surface of the body and all the glands;
furnish important parts of the sense organs; line the walls of internal surfaces and cavities;
participate in the metabolism of the body through absorption of substances from the
outside; and also for excretion; secretion and filtration.

The epithelial tissues are classified based on the number of cellular layers and on
the shape of the component epithelial cells. Based on the number of cellular layers, the
epithelial tissues are either simple (having a single layer of cells) or stratified (having
several layers of cells).Based on the shape of the component cells, the epithelial tissues
are squamous epithelium (having flat or spindle shape cells), cuboidal epithelium (having
cube-like cells) and columnar epithelium (having rectangular shape cells).

Classification of Epithelial Tissues: Based on the number of component cellular

layers and the shape of component cells.

Simple squamous epithelium is composed of a single layer of very flat cells; the
nucleus in each individual cell is dark and centrally located. Found in the stratum corneum
of the skin; alveolar sacs of lungs; Bowman’s capsule of a nephron

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 Simple columnar epithelium has a tube of epithelial cells is tall and slender. The
nucleus of every cell is oval and located near the base. Found in the inner lining of the
intestine.
Simple Cuboidal Epithelium has a squarish or cube shaped cells, some are
triangular. The nucleus of each is spherical or oval and large. The cytoplasm is slightly
glandular. Found lining the kidney tubules

Stratified Squamous Epithelium has several layers of epithelial cells with

squamous shaped cells in the outermost layer while the inner layers are made up of
different shapes of cells. Close to the basement membrane are cuboidal or columnar
shaped cells. This is the most common stratified epithelium. Found in the epithelial
lining of the human skin.

Stratified columnar epithelium has columnar cells in its superficial layer and
polyhedral cells in the basal layer. Found in lining the cavernous urethra, anal mucous
membrane; pharynx.

Stratified columnar ciliated epithelium has columnar cells in its superficial layer and
polyhedral cells in the basal layer but with cilia at the surface of superficial cells. Found
in the nasal surface of soft palate; larynx.

Stratified cuboidal epithelium is a type of epithelial tissue found mainly in glands,

which specialize in selective absorption and secretion by the gland into blood or lymph
vessels. It has several layers of cells with cube-like cells in its superficial surface. The
layers of squamous epithelial cell beneath the cuboidal cells replace damaged cells as
needed to maintain the epithelial lining. Found in sweat gland, parotid glands, mammary
glands

Glandular Epithelium

Glandular epithelium is a specialized epithelium for secretion hence named as

gland. A gland consists of one or more cells that make and secrete a particular product
called a secretion. Secretion is an active process in the glandular cells obtain the needed
materials from the blood and use them to make their secretion, which they then discharge.

On the basis of the presence or absence of ducts, gland are either endocrine or
exocrine glands .Endocrine glands are ductless glands or glands without connection with
the surface. Their secretions are called hormones which diffuse directly into the blood
vessels that weave through the glands and then into the blood stream. Examples are
thyroid glands, adrenal glands, pituitary gland.

Exocrine glands are duct glands or glands having excretory passageway of the
secretions transporting the secretions to the body cavities or the body surface. These
have two parts: a. the secretory portion which consists of secreting cells producing the

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secretions; b. the excretory passageway of the secretions. Examples are sweat glands;
oil glands; mammary glands

Classification of Exocrine Glands

Exocrine glands are further classified according to the mechanisms the secretions
are released or the functional basis of classification:

1. Merocrine gland are glands whose secretions exit the cell via exocytosis. In this
method of secretion, there is no cell damage. An example of merocrine secretion is the
eccrine sweat glands are simple coiled tubular glands present throughout the body but
most numerous in the soles of the feet.

2. Apocrine glands are glands that form buds of the membrane which break off into
the duct, losing part of the cellular membrane in the process. A well-known apocrine gland
is the breastmilk-producing mammary gland.

3. Holocrine glands are glands whose cellular membrane ruptures to release its
product into the duct. The entire secreting cells are dislodged to become a part of
secretion. Sebaceous glands are a representation of holocrine secretion.

Structurally the exocrine glands are also classified into 1. unicellular glands – are
one-celled glands and 2. multicellular glands are many-celled glands.

PROCEDURE: Refer to any Human Anatomy and Physiology book or surf from the
Internet and provide the following questions with satisfactory answers.

1. Shown below is an image of a stratified squamous epithelium as seen under

the microscope. Provide an answer to the questions that follow.

a. Describe the shape of the cells in the most superficial layers? _______
The stratified squamous keratinized epithelium has relatively flattened and
________________________________________________________
scale-like cells on its surface.
________________________________________________________
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 b. What does a stratified epithelium mean? Why is the image classified
The stratified epithelium has multiple layers of
as stratified epithelium? _____________________________________
cells. The image is classified as a stratified epithelium since it contains of
________________________________________________________
more than one layer of cells.
________________________________________________________

c. Name at least three organs having this type of epithelial lining. ______
Esophagus, Abdominal track, and skin.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

2. Study the image below and answer the following questions?

a. Describe the epithelial lining of the image shown above. ___________ The image
________________________________________________________
shown is simple columnar epithelium, this kind of epithelium is often has apical
cilia or microvilli also it consist of one layer of cells and designed for absorption.
________________________________________________________

b. Describe the shape and the location of the nucleus in the component
The shape of the simple columnar epithelium cells are tall
epithelial cells. ____________________________________________
________________________________________________________
and narrow giving a column-like appearance. The nucleus of the tall column-
like cells tends to be elongated and located in the basal end of the cells.
________________________________________________________

The simple
c. Name an organ or a body part having this epithelial lining. __________
columnar epithelium lines most organs of the digestive tract including the
________________________________________________________
stomach, and intestines.
________________________________________________________

3. Distinguish an endocrine gland from an exocrine gland based on the presence

or absence of duct. Give two examples of each.

Endocrine glands are the glands that secrete hormones

a. Endocrine glands: _________________________________________
without ducts and secrete hormones straight into the bloodstream some
________________________________________________________
examples are Thyroid glands, and parathyroid glands.
________________________________________________________

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 Exocrine glands secrete hormones through ducts these
b. Exocrine glands: __________________________________________
________________________________________________________
these are the two examples of exocrine glands the salivary glands, and
pancreas
________________________________________________________

4. Study the image below, label the nucleus, cytoplasm and plasma membrane,
and answer the questions that follow.

Nucleus

Plasma Membrane

Cytoplasm

a. Describe the epithelial lining of the image shown. _________________

Cuboidal Epithelium
having a cube-like or squarish-shaped cells also has a big,
________________________________________________________ round or oval nucleus

b. Name the part of a nephron lined with this epithelium. _______Kidney tubules
also found on the surface of ovaries, the lining of nephrons.
________________________________________________________

5. Classify the following exocrine glands, based on the mechanisms the

secretions are released. Provide also the name of the secretions.

Mechanisms the
Exocrine glands secretions are Name of the secretion
released
a. salivary glands Contraction Saliva
b. ceruminous glands Apocrine secretion mechanism Cerumen
c. mammary glands Stimulation of oxytocin Milk
d. sebaceous glands Holocrine secretion Sebum
e. lacrimal glands Electrolytes Tears

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6. Study the image of the epithelium, label the part in a leader line and answer
the questions.

Goblet cells

The epithelial lining

a. Describe the epithelial lining of the image shown. _________________
of the respiratory, urinary, digestive, and reproductive system comtain these
________________________________________________________

b. Describe the shape of the cell labelled and state its importance. a_____ narrow
base and an oval apical portion that sometimes extends
________________________________________________________ into the intestinal
lumen and lt secrete mucin and create a protective mucus layer.
________________________________________________________

c. Name an organ or a part of an organ lined with this epithelium. ______

________________________________________________________
Intestinal and respiratory tracts.

7. Provide the following endocrine glands with at least one hormone they secreted
by filling out the table.
Endocrine glands Hormones
a. testes Testosterone
b. pancreas Insulin
c. ovaries Estrogen
d. adrenal glands Epinephrine
e. pituitary gland Arenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
f. thyroid gland Tyroxine (T4)
g. thymus Thymosin

END

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