Connective

Tissue

Nervous Muscle
Tissue Tissue

Epithelial
Tissue
• Epithelial tissue is the lining tissue that
forms the boundary between our body and
the external environment.
• Epithelial tissue functions include:
• Protection
• Absorption
• Filtration
• Secretion
 Free surface
• The top surface of an
epithelial tissue is called the
free surface or apical
surface.
• The bottom surface is called
the basal surface.
• The membrane underneath
the basal surface is called
Basal surface the basement membrane.
Basement membrane
• All of these tissues are
• Epithelial tissues are classified avascular (no blood
by the number of layers and the vessels).
shape of the cells.
 Simple Stratified
epithelial epithelial
tissue tissue

More than
Only one layer of
one layer of
cells
cells
Simple squamous epithelium:

• This is a single, flat layer of cells that is thin

and permeable.
• Function: rapid diffusion of materials
• Found in blood vessels & lung tissues
Simple cuboidal epithelium:

• This is a single layer of cube-shaped cells.

• Function: Secretion & absorption of
substances
• Found in the tissues of the kidney
 Cilia
(hair-like
extensions)

• This is a single layer of tall, closely packed cells

• May have cilia and goblet cells, which secrete
mucus
• Function: Secretion of mucus for protection &
absorption of substances
• Found in the lining of the digestive tract
• Epithelial tissue is the lining that
protects the body from the external
environment. All epithelial tissues have
a free surface, a basal surface, and a
basement membrane. Simple epithelial
tissues are made of one layer of cells
that can vary in shape.
 Stratified squamous
epithelium:

• These thick layers provide protection for the

underlying layers
• Found in the epidermal layer of the skin
Stratified cuboidal
epithelium:

• More than one layer of cuboidal cells

• Rare in the body
• Found in salivary & mammary glands
Stratified columnar
epithelium:

• Free surface is lined with columnar cells

• Rare in the body
• Found in your larynx and the male urethra
• In pseudo-stratified epithelium, cell nuclei
are found at different levels, so it appears
stratified, though it is not.
• Function: Secretion & Absorption
• Found in most of the upper respiratory tract
• The free surface cells of
transitional epithelium
vary in appearance
based on the stretching
of the tissue.
• “Transition” = change
shape with elasticity
• Found in the lining of
the urinary bladder
• Stratified epithelial tissues have more
than one layer and can vary in cell
shape. Pseudo-stratified epithelium
appears to have multiple layers and
transitional epithelium can change its
appearance as it stretches.
 • A gland is made of a
group of cells that
secrete a fluid
substance.
• Glands are classified in
two ways:
• Complexity
• How substances are
secreted
• Exocrine
These two glands vary in complexity. • Endocrine
Glands can even be unicellular.
 Exocrine Gland

Secrete substances Ductless glands that

outward through a duct secrete hormones
Ex: Sweat glands through the bloodstream
Ex: thyroid gland
Merocrine Cells excrete the products
(substances) via exocytosis.
Gland Mero= “part”

Secretion

Examples Sweat glands

Apocrine A portion of the cell pinches off with
the secreted products. Apo = “tip”
Gland

Secretion

Examples Mammary glands

Holocrine Cells rupture and spill products
into the duct.
Gland “Hol” = whole

Secretion

Examples Sebaceous (oil) glands

in skin
• Endocrine glands secrete hormones into the blood
so they can be delivered over longer distances
• Endocrine cells are packed tightly together with
capillaries running through the glandular tissue.
• Cells excrete products through exocytosis into the
blood.
Examples: thyroid,
thymus, adrenal
glands, pancreas
p illary
ca
• Glandular tissue is a specialized type of
epithelial tissue. Endocrine glands
secrete hormones into the blood, while
exocrine glands use tube-like ducts to
secrete their products. Exocrine glands
differ in the portion of the cell that is
secreted with the product.