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Lecture 02 Epithelia
I. Epithelia: Functions, Occurrence, Origins and Properties
A. Functions
1) Physical barrier for protection
2) Permeability barrier
3) Transport in (absorption)
4) Transport out (secretion and excretion)
5) Surface transport of extracellular materials
6) Sensory reception (mechanoreceptors, nerve endings in epithelia)
7) Regeneration and reproduction
B. They can form
1) Membranous Epithelia: Large sheets that line the surfaces of the body.
2) Glandular Epithelia: epithelial cells that have invaginated into connective tissue.
C. Originate from all 3 embryonic germ layers
1) Ectoderm: Oral and nasal mucosae, cornea, skin, glands of the skin, mammary
glands.
2) Endoderm: Liver, pancreas, lining of GI and Respiratory tracts.
3) Mesoderm
a. Mesothelium that covers the mesentery and some organs
b. Endothelium that lines the circulatory system
c. Uriniferous tubules of the kidney
d. Lining of the and reproductive system.
D. Common properties
1) Cells attached to one another by special adhering devices, ensuring the
maintenance of the wall.
2) Intercellular spaces are sealed by special occluding devices forming an efficient
diffusion barrier.
3) Epithelial cells membranes are polarized to ensure unidirectional transport.
4) Basement membrane separates epithelia from underlying tissue.
5) There is little interstitial fluid in the epithelium: the intercellular spaces are small but
expandable.
6) There are no vessels in epithelia, but there are nerve endings (think mechano-
receptors).

II. Classification of Epithelial cells

A. By number of cell layers
1) Simple: One layer
2) Stratified: >1 layer
3) Pseudostratified: heights but all attached at the base to basal membrane.
B. By shape of cells of superficial layer
1) Squamous: flat scale
2) Cuboidal: cube-shaped
3) Columnar: column-shape
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4) Transitional: changeable from play to polygonal

C. By surface specialization
1) Presence or absence of cilia
2) Presence or absence of goblet cells (Simple columnar and pseudostratified
columnar)
3) Presence or absence of keratinization (Stratified squamous)

III. Properties of Epithelial Tissues

A. Simple squamous
1) Cells appear flattened, nuclei are large and may appear
to bulge out of the cell.
2) Function: Fluid, metabolite, gas exchange.
3) Location: Mesothelium, endothelium, Bowmans capsule,
lung.

B. Simple cuboidal
1) Cells appear square in cross-section, nuclei centrally
located, may contain microvilli/cilia, and may associate
with myoepithelial cells.
2) Function: Absorption, secretion, surface transport,
sensory.
3) Location: glands, secretory surfaces, surface of ovary.

C. Simple columnar
1) Nuclei located basally; goblet cells, microvilli, or cilia.
2) Functions
a. Absorption, secretion, protection, and surface
transport
b. Neuroepithelial (sensory reception), retinal
photoreceptors, olfactory epithelia, chemo/osmotic-
receptor cells.
3) Location: GI tract, ducts of glands.
D. Stratified squamous, non-keratinized
1) Contains living outer layer of cells with nuclei.
Desmosomes provide attachment of neighboring cells;
hemidesmosomes provide attachment of cells to the
basement membrane.
2) Functions: Protection and secretion
3) Location: Lining of oral cavity, esophagus, and vagina.
E. Stratified squamous, keratinized
1) Presence of an outer, apical later of dead cells without nuclei, only a keratin
cytoskeleton. Lower layers show abundant desmosomes and hemidesmosomes.
2) Functions: Protection from abrasion, water loss, heat gain/loss, foreign antigens.
3) Location: Exclusively in skin.
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F. Stratified cuboidal/columnar (rare)

1) Functions: Larger ducts of glands and modifies glandular
secretions.
2) Locations: Ocular conjunctiva and larger ducts of mammary and
salivary glands.
G. Pseudostratified columnar
1) All in contact with basement membrane. Basal cells
(regenerative) do not reach surface. Presence of goblet cells
and cilia indicates that the epithelium is not of stratified variety.
2) Functions: Absorption, secretion (goblet cells), protection,
surface transport via cilia.
H. Transitional (Urothelium) Umbrella cells
1) 4-5 random layers but not called stratified.
Outmost layer of cells morphology. In relaxed
bladder, outer layer cells are dome-shaped
(umbrella), while in full, stretched bladder, same
cells are flattened resembling squamous cells.
2) Functions: Protection and ability to stretch due to
specific mechanisms of the plasma membrane
retrieval.
3) Location: Exclusively renal calyces, urethra, and bladder.

IV. Structure/Organization of Epithelia

A. Physical connections cells and substratum establish polarity (apical and basolateral),
creating a separation of compartments. Transport can occur through the cell
(transcellular pathway) or in the spaces cells (paracellular pathway).
B. Basal Surface Specializations
1) Basement Membrane and Basal Lamina
a. Basement membrane (LM term) consists of:
i. Basal Lamina (EM term) 20-200nm thick composed of:
01. Lamina rara or lucida attached to epithelial cell
02. Lamina densa
ii. Lamina reticularis attached to the underlying connective tissue. Type III
Collagen (Reticular fibers)
b. External laminae (similar to basal laminae) surround adipose, muscle, and
nerve associated cells.
c. Formed by specific proteins
i. Type IV collagen
ii. Glycoproteins (laminin, fibronectin, entactin)
iii. Proteoglycans
d. Functions
i. Support for epithelial cells
ii. Differentiation: cell recognition, pathway for cell migration.
iii. Maintenance of differentiated phenotype
iv. Barrier and filter
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v. Wound response: blood clotting, wound healing

vi. Role in Cx metastasis.
2) Hemidesmosomes
a. Adhesive junctions connecting the cell to the basement membrane.
i. Adhesion proteins: Integrins, Collagen XVII
ii. Adaptor proteins: Plectins, BPAG-1 (plakin-like)
iii. Cytoskeletal proteins: Intermediate filaments (keratin).
3) Basal enfoldings (with interdigitating mitochondria): surface area for ion transport.
Found in kidney.

C. Lateral Surface Specialization

1) Zonula Occludens (intercellular tight junctions)
a. Most apical in location, best visualized by freeze fracture EM
b. Function Regulated by Rho GTPases.
i. Permeability seal lumen and lateral intercellular space (8 diameter for
H2O and ions).
ii. Barrier to diffusion of membrane proteins (keep apical and basolateral
domains distinct).
c. Structural organization
i. Adhesion proteins: Occludin, Claudin, JAM
ii. Adaptor proteins: ZO-1 proteins, others with PDZ domains
iii. Cytoskeletal proteins: Actin filaments.
2) Zonula adherens (Adherent junctions)
a. Belt-like intercellular junctions that encircle the cell.
b. Actin filaments regulate tension and shape at the apical region.
c. Provides major force that keeps cells together.
d. Structural organization
i. Adhesion proteins: E-Cadherins
ii. Adaptor proteins: Catenins (, , p120)
iii. Cytoskeletal proteins: F-actin
3) Macula Adherens (Desmosome)
a. Spot-like intercellular junction
b. Function: Maintain mechanical integrity of tissues
c. Structural organization
i. Adhesion proteins: Cadherins (desmoglein and desmocollin)
ii. Adaptor proteins: Desmoplakins (specialized catenins)
iii. Cytoskeletal proteins: Intermediate filaments (desmin, vimentin)
4) Terminal bars (LM term) or Junctional Complex (EM term) interact with terminal
web of actin and intermediate filaments is comprised of
a. Zonula occludens
b. Zonula adherens
c. Macula adherens
5) Gap Junctions (intercellular communicating junctions)
a. Freeze fraction EM contains a visible space (gap) 2 adjacent cells (SEM).
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b. Constructed of 6 TM proteins named connexins that form a cylinder called

connexon that interfaces with a connexon from the adjacent cells to form a
channel. The large arrays of such channels are called gap junctions.
c. A connexon forms a pore of ~1.5nm in diameter with a size exclusion of ~2kDa.
i. cAMP, IP3, ions
ii. Amino acids
iii. Other metabolites
d. Permeability regulated by pH, Ca2+, and phosphorylation of connexons.
e. Function
i. Electrical and metabolic coupling.
ii. Synchronize cell response
iii. Distribute metabolized and signaling molecules (cAMP)
D. Apical Surface Specializations
1) Microvilli (1-2m long)
a. Cell surface projections forming a brush border with a core of numerous actin
filaments bound by plasma membrane. The actin filaments interact with motor
protein myosin-1 and are integrated with cytoplasmic/terminal web.
b. Functions and specializations
i. Digestion and/or absorption (intestinal and kidney cells): cell surface
amplification and glycocalyx (extracellular coat containing
polysaccharides and hydrolytic enzymes).
ii. Cell surface recognition via glycocalyx
iii. Stereocilia (longer and branch) same core components
01. Secretion and absorption in the male tract
02. Mechanosensory devices for hearing in auditory hair cells.
2) Cilia (6-12m, a nucleus is 5-10m!)
a. Composed
i. Axoneme, a bundle of 9+2 microtubules ( from centrioles, triplet)
ii. Dynein arms
iii. Other associated components
b. Assemble from basal bodies (modified centrioles) just below the cell surface.
c. Beat like fields of whips.
d. Functions
i. Transport of extracellular materials including tracheal and oviduct mucous,
sinus fluid, and CSF.
ii. Structural support and function in photoreceptors, olfactory epithelia, and
some chemo/osmotic-receptor cells.
E. Specialized Epithelial Cells
1) Goblet cells found in Simple columnar and Pseudostratified columnar
a. Stain dark when filled with mucin, but look white transparent when empty.
b. Synthesize and secrete mucin to protect the lining of the lumen.
c. See function in lab notes.
2) Myoepithelial cells: Contractile cells located epithelia and the basal membrane.
3) Neuroepithelial cells: Hair cells, photoreceptors, taste buds, olfactory epithelia.