EPITHELIAL TISSUE

Emmanuel Twumasi Osei Dept of Anatomy and Cell Biology KNUST

Epithelial Tissue
Epithelia are the cellular tissues that cover and line all body surfaces, cavities and tubes and extend from these surfaces into deeper tissues to form glands. Functions include Protection, Absorption & Secretion Generally composed of cells with each cell tightly bound to its neighbours Lack blood vessels, exhibit polarity are innervated and have the capacity to regenerate. (Polarity?)

Epithelial Tissue Contd Basal surface lies on a thin sheet called Basal Laminapart of the basement membrane Important to note that all epithelial cells have free apical upper surface and lower basal surface Although not penetrated by blood vessels, nerve endings do Outer surface facing external enviroment specialised according to fxn and in multilayered epithelia there is an inside out gradation of the specialised features

Classification of Epithelia
Surface epithelia are classified according to The thickness: Simple epithelium is 1 cell thick (small intestine, kidney vascular endothelium) Compound epithelium is many cells thick (epidermis and esophagus) Multicellular epithelia often show polarity and are called stratified (layered) epithelia Can be pseudostratified epithelia (trachea and vas deferans)

Classification Contd
Classified by The Shape of Surface Cells: Cuboidal, Columnar and Squamous (Scally / flattened) Squamous cell: flattened with height much less than width. Cuboidal cell: cube shaped, height, width and length are similar. Columnar: A tall cell, Height is greater than width.

Classified by the presence of Surface Specialisation: Cilia, Microvilli, Stereocilia or Keratin

Shape

Thickness

Microvilli
Known as Brush or striated border in light microscopy Seen as fine striations on free surface of cells which are parallel to long axis of cells Has brush like appearance hence name brush border Seen in EM as tubular projections on apical plasma membrane Diameter 0.1 micron constant in width across the body. Length varies from 1.0 to 3.0 microns but from a given cell, tends to be of constant length Large numbers found on one cell

Microvilli Contd
Microvilli are important as they increase the increase the surface area (20 40X) of absorptive cells Microvilli face the compartment that has absorbable material and is in contact with such material Normally brush border microvilli as seen in the small intestine or proximal renal tubule is involved in absorption but scattered ones seen elsewhere may not be Brush border contains enzymes that aid in final steps of digesting proteins, lipids, carbohydrates immediately before absorption.

Stereocilia
Extremely long microvilli and less precisely arranged than microvilli and less widely found

No relationship to true motile cilia

Found in the epididymis, vas deferens and other parts of the male reproductive system Project into the lumen and may be involved in absorption of substances Hair cells in inner ear have stereocilia and they act as transducers

Cilia
Cilia just as in flagella are motile structures Slender hair-like projections from a cell surface that move in a xtic manner Cilia (5-10 microns) shorter than flagella 100s of cilia may be found on a cell while 1 or 2 flagella may be found on one cell

Cilliated cells widely found in the body (Respiratory system, uterine tube and male reproductive system) Sperm are the only human cells with flagella

Cilia Contd
Cilia beat back and forth in motion whiles flagella tend to function with an undulating motion Cilia and flagella possess basal bodies, intracellular xtures at their base

Each cilium or flagella associates with a single basal body

Classification Contd
Classified by different Cell types
In applying this principle a particular Mucous cell known as the Goblet cell is involved Constitute a subset of mucus producing cells

Resembles the bowl-like part of a wine glass

Therefore in classifying epithelial cells one should find out if there are any goblet cells present

Description of Epithelium
Thus an example of a full description of an epithelium may be something like Pseudostratified (2) columnar (3) ciliated epithelium with (4) goblets cells

Epithelial Tissue
Note: Apical surface free surface, Lateral surface faces adjacent cell, Basal surface adjacent to the substratum usually connective tissue Epithelia may be secretory, absorptive or protective
An individual epithelial cells may be secretory structure (e.g the epithelial lining of the stomach (gastric epithelium), intestinal goblet) Again a number of secretory epithelial cells may form a homogeneous secretory layer (lining of gastric pits of stomach)

Epithelia tissue Contd

Many epithelia located at interfaces btn the body and the external & internal envts across which Solvents, Solutes, Metabolic substrates and Gases are absorbed. E.g. of absorbing/transporting epithelia: intestinal epithelium, gall bladder, vascular endothelium and kidney tubule epithelium. May also be specialised to protect internal and external envt e.g. epidermis and esophageal epithelium Structure related to fxn very important

Junctional Complexes
Areas of contact between epithelia cells have intercullular junctions called junctional complex Close arrangement of several cell-cell junctions usually formed by: Zonula occludens, Zonula adherens and Desmosome
Usually found in simple epithelia (simple cuboidal epithelia, simple columnar epithelia) Found usually on the lateral surface close to free or luminal surface.

Junctional Cplx Contd

Desmosomes: Points of mechanical attachment of 1 cell to another Gap Junctions: seen in EM as close apposition of plasma membranes of adjacent cells. The Gap refers to a regular 2 -3nm extracellular space in the junctional region. Channels provide continuity of one cells cytoplasm with another. Gap junctions provide avenues for diffusion of substances (e.g ions and amino acids) from 1 cell to the adjacent cell Gap junctions may electrically couple cells to allow the spread of electric potentials through a tissue (e.g in smooth muscle & Cardiac muscle) Hence gap junctions have also been called Communicating junctions

Jxnal Cplxes Contd

Tight Junctions/ Zonulae Occludentes/ Occluding Jxns: A type of junction that encircles a cell, joining that cell to all its immediate neighbouring cells. Often found in simple columnar or cuboidal epithelia on the lateral surface of the cell closer to the apical surface than the basal surface

Point of membrane fusion are called Membrane kisses since fusion of adjacent plasma membrane not even

Tight Jxn Contd

Tight junctions thought to block or occlude the extracellular space to prevent or retard the flow of materials through the extracellular space from one side of the epithelium to the other side Its effectiveness as a diffuse barrier is a function of the depth of the junction Narrow junctions tend to be leaky whiles wide junctions has more contact points between the connected cells and are more effective The most complex tight junctions (most rows of ridges and grooves) found btn the capillary endothelial cells that form the Blood Brain Barrier and between the Sertoli cells that form the blood testis barrier. These are essentially absolute barriers under normal circumstances

Junctional Complexes Contd Zonula Adherens: A circumferential, belt-like jxn usually found deep to a tight junction Another type of junction, the Hemidesmosome is closely related to the desmosomes Found on the basal plasma membrane of epithelial cells adjacent to basement membrane Serve as points of mechanical attachment of epithelial cells to basal lamina.

Epithelial cell renewal

Generally have a high regenerative ability. Turnover varies from a few days (small intestine) to approx 1 mth (epidermis).
Dividing cells are often restricted to particular regions of the epithelium (e.g. basal part of the epidermis and lowest 3rd of intestinal crypts) Recently divided cells leave the mitotic compartment and migrate towards the superficial layer (from basal layer of epidermis to the cornified layer and from crypt of the intestinal gland to the luminal surface or villus)

Epithelial cell renewal Contd

Following stages and events often seen during Renewal process Cell division, Migration, Differentiation, Senescence and Cell loss.

Epithelial-Connective Tissue Interface

Btn the basal membrane of the epithelium and the underlying connective tissue is the Basement membrane. A non-cellular layer formed by both the epithelium and underlying connective tissue
Connective tissue immediately subjacent to the basal epithelial surface Made up of the Basal lamina, Collagen fibers, Reticular fibers ( reticulin i.e. solitary thin collagen fibrils) proteoglycans and glycoproteins

Basal membrane may thicken in some pathologic states (nephropathies, vasculopathies and auto-immune dx)

Basal Lamina (Basement lamina)

30 100 nm thick layer (lamina densa)
Separated from basal plasma by a clear electron-lucent zone (lamina lucida). A filamentous network that contains Type IV Collagen, Laminin and other proteins and glycoproteins Collagen and Reticular fibers may attach to basal lamina at the connective tissue surface and serve a anchoring filaments Provide attachment points for Hemidesmosomes and surface along which cells migrate in cell renewal and wound healing.

Basal lamina is a component of the basement membrane but the 2 terms are often used synonymously

Types of Epithelium
Squamous (Pavement) Epithelium Flattened interlocking polygonal cells (squames). Cytoplasm in some places are as little as 0.1 microns Nucleus usually bulges in overlying space

Type of epithelium lining alveoli of lungs & Renal Corpuscles, thin segment of nephrotic tubules (loop of Henle) and as a mesothelium forms the surfaces of the Pericardial, Pleural and Peritoneal cavities
As the endothelium it lines the blood vascular and lymphatic channels

Squamous (Pavement) Epithelium Contd Squamous epithelium often assoc with passive movements of water or electrolytes

May also be active in transport evidenced by pinocytotic vessicles seen in such cells Presence of Zonula occludens ensure that materials pass primarily through cells rather than between them

Cuboidal & Columnar Epithelia

Cylindrical cells set together to form a Palisade-like layer Each cell is polygonal in horizontal section, Cuboidal cells are square in vertical section and Columnar cells are taller than their diameter Commonly have microvilli to provide large absorptive area Large intestine Columnar cells with striated border, Gall bladder columnar cells with brush border Proximal and distal convoluted tubules of the kidney cuboidal cells with brush borders)

Cuboidal & Columnar Epithelia Contd Ciliated columnar epithelium lines most of the respiratory tract as far as the respiratory bronchioles, some of the tympanic cavity and auditory tube and the uterine tube. In resp tract surfaces, they are also mucous glands, cilia sweep a layer of viscous fluid and trapped dust particles from lungs towards the pharynx thus clearing the resp passage. In uterine tube cilia action assist ova from peritoneal cavity to the uterus

Cuboidal & Columnar Epithelia Contd

Some columnar cells are glandular and their apical regions contain mucous or protein-carrying vacoules E.g. the mucin secreting cellsand protease-secreting chief cells of the gastric epithelium

Mucous pdcing cells interspersed in btn non producing ones leads to widening of apices known as Goblet cells common in the intestines Mucus bind water and protect surfaces from drying they can also slide over each othe easily providing lubrication

Pseudostratified epithelium
Gives impression that its stratified
But simple columnar epithelium in which arrangement is distorted Nuclei lie in dfnt levels in vertical section Cells are twisted with resp to each other, only partial profiles of some cells thus appear giving the impression of more than 1 layer of cells They assume this when subjected to lateral compression forces

Stratified Epitelia
Positioned at surfaces where there is considerable wear and tear Chief xtic is continued replacement of superficial cells by division of more deep cells

Stratified Squamous Epithelium

Several layers of cells which vary greatly in shape.

Deepest layer are mostly columnar placed vertically on basement membrane.

Superficial to this are polyhedral cells which become more and more compressed as they approach the surface Most superficial cells are flattened scales (squames) which overlap one another and present an imbricated appearance

Stratified Squamous Epithelium Contd Cells closely bound by Desmosomes

Deepest layers progressively proliferate & undergo morphological change as they pass to the surface where they are continually lost by abbrassive wear and tear
Moist cells though flattened retain their nuclei whiles dry surfaces have Keratin that effect water-proofing and confer mechanical protection

Stratified Squamous Epithelium Contd 2 types termed Stratified squamous non-keratinized & Stratified squamous keratinized epithelium Non keratinized mucus membrane of mouth, lower pharynx, oesophagus, vagina, part of cervix uteri, anal canal epiglottis etc. Keratinized epidermis of skin, in parts of mouth (filliform papillae of tongue , hard palate. Amount of keratin proportional to mechanical stress of lack of Vit A in diet (induces keratinization in the cornea)

Skin (Read on it)

Epithelium on skin Epidermis Several distinct layers in 2 zones Deeper Zona germinativa single layer of Columnar cells Stratum basale (stratum germinativum or Malpighian layer) Superficial layer variable thickness of polyhedral cells Stratum spinosum

Stratified Cuboidal and Columnar Epithelia

2 or more layers of cuboidal or columnar cells

Typical of the walls larger ductus of some exocrine glands E.g. Pancreas and salivary glands, presumably affording more strength than a single layer

Transitional Epithelium
Occurs in the Renal calyces, Renal Pelvis, Ureters, Urinary bladder, Prostatic urethra in the male and the Proximal part of the female urethra Superficial layer flattened & large with depressions on their basal surfaces to fit on to the rounded cells of the second layer (pear shaped) Its apices then touches the basement membrane Changes are seen in the cells during distension and contraction of bladder Impermeable to water