Objectives:
- Be able to classify epithelial tissues.
- Know the structure and function of junctions.
- Know the structure of apical specializations and their functions.
- Be able to correlate different types of epithelia to their
functions.
In epithelia, cells are organized
in sheets, either a single layer thick (simple epithelia) or made
up of multiple layers (stratified epithelia). Be able to identify
the classes of epithelia underlined in the text below, and give
some thought to why these different classes of epithelia have such
different morphologies.
The glass slide sets occasionally contain different stains or even different
slides of the same tissue in place of the slide that you have in
your set. When these differences occur, the lab guide will usually
refer to a particular slides as being in either even or odd-numbered slide collections. Please try to
look at the alternates by borrowing from your lab mates. Certain
stains are much more instructive than others and different (alternate)
tissues often help to explain functional changes.
I. SIMPLE EPITHELIA
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A. Simple columnar epithelium (W pg. 84, 5.3; pgs. 277-8, 14.20, 14.22; pg. 283, 14.29)
slide 29 (small intestine) [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
slide 176 40x (colon, H&E) [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
Remember that epithelia line or cover surfaces. In slide 29 and slide 176, this type of epithelium lines the luminal (mucosal) surface of the small and large intestines, respectively. Refer to the diagram at the end of this chapter for the tissue orientation and consult the atlas (W pg 277 14.20; pg 278, 14.22) for the cell types that make up the epithelium. First, examine slide 29 at low power and note finger-like projections of intestinal villi. Also, note that, in some areas, these villi are
transversely sectioned and appear instead as circular profiles. The villi are lined by a simple epithelium, and, therefore, you should ideally see a single row of dark nuclei toward the base of the cells as, in W pg. 84, 5.3 (you may see more if the epithelium is cut tangentially). Also, it is a columnar epithelium, so the cells should be taller than they are wide. Look around on the slide until you find a region of epithelium having this appearance.
Note the presence of goblet cells (W pg 278, 14.22) [example], which look like balloons suspended
in the epithelium. These cells secrete mucus; the clear "balloon"
in the apical region of each goblet cell is where the stored mucus is located (mucus does not react with H&E stain). Look at the columnar epithelium in slide 176 and note that it contains a very large population of goblet
cells relative to that found in slide 29. In the colon, villi are absent
and, instead, a simple columnar epithelium forms the intestinal
"glands," which are invaginations made up of mostly goblet cells (W pg 283, 14.29).
Identify the microvillous border at the apex of the epithelial layer at 40x magnification in slide 29.
This region appears as a darker staining line at the top of the
cells. In a very good section, it may appear striped, or "striated",
because it is made up of finger-like projections called microvilli (seen at the electron microscopic level in EM #128, also in W pg
280, 14.25 a&b).
B. Simple cuboidal epithelium (W pg. 84, 5.2; pg. 321, 16.21a)
slide 9 (digital slide 9N-1, kidney, H&E) [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
slide 210 (kidney, H&E) [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
These slides show simple cuboidal epithelium, lining
tubules in the kidney. The tubules are cut in all different orientations;
look for a region toward the middle of the slide where the tubules
are cut more or less in longitudinal section in slide 9 [example] or slide 210, [example] and appear as parallel wavy rows
(at 4x magnification). Look for a favorable area where you can see
a space (the tubule lumen) lined on either side with simple cuboidal
epithelium. Note also that there is very little other tissue between
tubules, so that you often see two rows of cuboidal epithelia from
adjacent tubules back to back. In other parts of the section, look
for tubules in cross-section in slide 9 [example] or slide 210 [example] where the lumen will be surrounded by a circle
of cells.
C. Simple squamous epithelium (W pg 83, 5.1)
slide 30 (mesentery, H&E) [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
slide 29 (small intestine) [WebViewer] [ImageScope]
Simple squamous epithelial cells are flattened, i.e., wider than they are tall. A simple squamous epithelium, called "endothelium," lines blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and the chambers of the heart. When sections through endothelial cells are viewed with the light microscope, the cytoplasm cannot be seen, because the flattened cell is so thin. Thus, endothelium is generally identified on the basis of the structure and position of nuclei alone; that is, the nuclei are also often flattened and elongated, and are found lining the lumen of the vessel (W pg 83, 5.1). Observe the endothelial lining of blood and lymph vessels in the mesentery in slide 30 [example]. Sometimes the blood vessels contain red blood
cells and can be identified that way. Otherwise, look for tubular
or circular profiles at low power and examine the endothelial lining
of these vessels at high power. Note that the endothelium may be damaged during processing such that it separates from the vessel wall or it may slough off entirely and not be visible at all. In areas where you can find an endothelium, note that the nuclei do not always look
flattened in vessels that have contracted. Another excellent place to look for endothelial cells is in the many small vessels in the wall of the intestine shown in slide 29 --look for the vessels in the submucosal layer (the lightest staining area in the wall of the intestine) [example].
Going back to slide 30, move to the periphery of the tissue section
and observe a simple squamous epithelium (flattened cells) covering the surface of the mesentery [example]. This epithelium --also called mesothelium-- and the irregular connective tissue immediately underneath together make up the peritoneum (a term that you will encounter in your anatomy studies) that lines body cavities and most of the viscera contained therein. Specifically, the portion of the peritoneum that is applied against the walls of the cavities is known as "parietal peritoneum" whereas the portion covering the organs (and their associated mesenteries) is the "visceral peritoneum."
II. STRATIFIED EPITHELIA
A. Stratified squamous epithelium (W pg 86, 5.6)
This type of epithelium covers surfaces that are subjected to abrasion. The epithelium is constantly replacing itself by division of the basal layer of cells. These cells change morphology as they move toward the surface and are ultimately sloughed off. They are called "stratified" because there are multiple cell layers, and "squamous" because the outermost layer of cells is flattened. There are two subclasses:
1. Stratified squamous nonkeratinizing epithelium (W, pg 86 5.6a/b; pg 267 14.5; pg 377 19.26)
slide 153 (esophagus, H&E) [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
slide 250 (vagina, H&E)[WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
This type of epithelium covers some internal surfaces that are kept moist by mucus or other fluids. Thus, these epithelia do not need to keratinize to avoid desiccation. The lubrication provided by mucus helps to protect against abrasion. Study this type of epithelium in the esophagus (slide 153) [example] and vagina (slide 250) [example]. Again, cell morphology changes from base to apex of the epithelium, the outermost being "squamous" in appearance whereas the basal cells appear more cuboidal or low-columnar. The orientation of the tissue can be confusing because of connective tissue projections that push up into the epithelium. The importance of looking at this tissue sectioned in the proper plane is discussed in the Introduction lesson of the MMH tutorial. Unlike keratinizing epithelium, nuclei are still present in most surface cells (although they are often difficult to see in sectioned tissue.)
2. Stratified squamous keratinizing epithelium (W pg 86, 5.6c; pg 169, 9.1; pg 169-170, 9.2, 9.3)
slide 106 (plantar skin, H&E)
[WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
slide 112 (plantar skin, H&E [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
This epithelium is found at the surface of the
skin and is known as the epidermis. As protection against desiccation,
it undergoes a process known as cornification or keratinization.
As cells move toward the surface, they differentiate and eventually
die, leaving an outermost layer of dead cells filled with keratin [example]. The absence of nuclei in this
layer shows that it is devoid of live cells. In some slides, the
keratinized region is gray, but occasionally it has been penetrated
in places by red stain. Note the differences in morphology of the
cells as they move toward the surface. You will learn the names
of these layers when we study the skin. In the lower strata, look for the layer of spinous cells (the spines look like little lines between cells, and
can be difficult to see) [example]; the spines are sites where desmosomes attach
the cells to one another (W pg 170, 9.3).
B. Pseudostratified epithelium (W pg 85 5.5; pg 238-9, 12.7-9)
slide 40 (trachea, H&E) [WinLab] [Mac] [Winhome]
slide 20 (trachea, H&E) [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
"Pseudostratified" is a term applied to epithelia which appear to be stratified (i.e., have nuclei at various levels), but in which all component cells reach the base of the epithelium and are attached to the underlying basement membrane. The basement membrane l ooks like a pink line at the base of the epithelium,
which is rather easily seen in places on this slide. The basement membrane is not always this thick in other epithelia (Note that "basal lamina" is a term that refers to an ultrastructural feature while "basement membrane" refers to a light microscopic feature. Ultrastructure refers to structures seen at the electron microscope level. See the MMH epithelial lesson on the basement membrane.) Only some of these cells reach the free surface of the epithelium, where it is generally ciliated and contains goblet cells. Since this type of epithelium lines the respiratory tract, it is referred to as the “respiratory epithelium”. The cilia appear as hairlike projections at the cell apex. What substructures form the core of each cilium? (EP1) There appears
to be a dotted line at the base of the cilia; this is due to the
presence of basal bodies in
this region.
C. Transitional epithelium (W pg 87, 5.9; pg 326-7, 16.24-7)
Slide 211 (nondistended ureter, human, H&E) [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
Slide 19-1, "odd" (distended ureter, rat, H&E) [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
Slide 19-2, "even" (non-distended ureter, rat, H&E) [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
("even" and "odd" refer to the box number on your glass slide collection)
Transitional epithelium is confined to the urinary tract
and is adapted for extensibility and water impermeability, as when the bladder fills with
urine. We will compare the epithelium lining the lumen of a distended
(glass slide 19, even box numbers or digital slide 19-2) and a non-distended ureter (glass slide 19 even or digital slide 19-1).
In the non-distended ureter, note the shape of the large surface cells, which
are frequently dome-shaped and may bulge out into the lumen [example]. Now, compare with the distended ureter (this tissue was artificially over-distended to make a
point about the capacity of this epithelium). The surface cells
have been stretched thin, as have the other layers, and there actually
appear to be fewer layers, as the cells can slide past one another
to a certain degree.
Electron Micrograph Wall Charts
While understanding the light microscopic structure of tissues
and organs is important for interpreting pathological change, much
of the really interesting biological side of medicine now involves
understanding cell structure in more detail. Therefore, we feel
you should be comfortable with interpreting electron micrographs
by the time you complete this course, as they are becoming more
important in diagnosis and many of the micrographs in your
professional literature will be of this sort. We assume that you
already have a general knowledge of cell ultrastructure and can
recognize the nucleus, mitochondria, cell membranes, endoplasmic
reticulum, and ribosomes. Your Wheater's Atlas contains an excellent review of cell ultrastructure in Chapter 1 (pages 2-32) as does the Ross text (Chapter 2). Please review these structures in these sources and the electron micrographs listed below.
EM#1 [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
EM#2 [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
EM#4 [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
EM#11 [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome]
Use these micrographs to review the structure of organelles. Be
sure you can recognize favorable sections of the nucleus, mitochondria,
and rough ER.
EM# 0-A [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome] and EM#0-B [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome] JUNCTIONS
Review the structure of occluding and communicating junctions.
EM#70 [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome] SIMPLE SQUAMOUS EPITHELIUM
The endocardium, the simple squamous epithelial lining of the heart,
can be seen at the top of this section. Under it, you can see connective
tissue, which we will study next time. Note how thin the epithelium
is.
EM#17 [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome] SIMPLE COLUMNAR EPITHELIUM
You can see that this is a simple epithelium, as it is one cell
layer thick, and columnar, as the cells are tall. Note the basal
lamina at the base of the epithelium. You can see the apical area
where junctions are located. This cell also has very short apical
microvilli.
EM#128 [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome] SIMPLE CUBOIDAL EPITHELIUM
Here we see a kidney tubule cut in cross section. Fingerlike microvilli
can be seen. A similar structure in the intestine gives rise to
the "striated border" we saw in the LM.
EM# 18 [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome] STRATIFIED SQUAMOUS KERATINIZING EPITHELIUM
You can appreciate that this epithelium (skin) is stratified (has
multiple layers of cells), and that the layers near the surface
(at the top of the micrograph) have keratinized (lost their nuclei,
and become a layer of keratin). The spiny appearance of cells deeper
in the epithelium can also often be seen in the light microscope.
They are points of cell-cell attachment, made more obvious by shrinkage
during preparation. What junctions are found here? (EP2)
EM#94 [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome] STRATIFIED SQUAMOUS NONKERATINIZING EPITHELIUM
Compare this micrograph to the previous one. This is the lining
of the mouth, where it is no longer necessary to have an outer keratinized
layer to protect against desiccation, as it was for skin. Thus,
the outermost layer is still cellular and contains a nucleus. Note
again the spiny appearance of the cells, due to the desmosomal attachments.
EM#101 [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome] PSEUDOSTRATIFIED EPITHELIUM
The definition of a pseudostratified epithelium is one in which
there are multiple levels of nuclei, but all cells extend to the
base of the epithelium. In this micrograph, you can find cells with
nuclei at different levels which can be traced down until they are
at least close to the base of the epithelium before some of them
go out of the plane of section. Note also the apical cilia and basal
bodies. You can see that the goblet cells are not ciliated, and
are polarized for secretion, i.e., the nucleus is basal to the clear
secretion granules, which will be released into the lumen at the
top of the micrograph.
EM#102 [WinLab] [Mac] [WinHome] CILIA (cross sections)
This is the apex of the epithelium seen in EM #101, cut in a different
plane of section, as indicated by the line in #101. You can see
cross sections of the cilia, and also the secretion granule-filled
apex of an occasional goblet cell.
Review Question Answers
EP1: What structures form the core of each cilium?
answer
EP2: What junctions are found in the spinous layer of stratified squamous
keratinizing epithelium
answer
Practice Questions
Click on either the MAC link or the PC link to open the image.
1. The type of epithelium indicated by the arrow lines:
- skin
- mucosa of the esophagus
- respiratory tract
- urinary tract
- mesentery
ANSWER
Click here to view image
2. The type of epithelium shown is:
- simple cuboidal
- simple columnar
- stratified columnar
- pseudostratified columnar (respiratory)
- transitional
ANSWER
3. Which of the following statements regarding microvilli is FALSE?
- They contain a core of keratin intermediate filaments.
- They are anchored to the cell by a terminal web of intermediate and actin filaments.
- They are immotile (they do not move on their own).
- They facilitate absorption.
- They are generally considered to be localized on the apical surface of epithelial cells.
ANSWER
Click here to view image
4. The type of intercellular junction as viewed by routine transmission electron microscopy in panel A and in a freeze-fracture preparation in panel B:
- extends as a zone around the apical perimeter of adjacent cells.
- posseses dense plaques that are anchored to intermediate filaments.
- permits the passage of ions from one cell to another.
- requires calcium to bind adjacent cells.
- mediates adhesion of cells to an underlying basal lamina.
ANSWER |
