Basic Tissues of the Body

Tissues are broadly classified into four basic

categories:
1-Epithelial tissue
2-Connective tissues including cartilage, bone,
blood and lymph.
3-Muscular tissue.
4-Nervous tissue.

Classification of Epithelial tissue

I-Simple Epithelium:
II-Stratified Epithelium:
III-Glandular Epithelium.
IV- Neuro-Epithelium.

Classification of Epithelial tissue

On the basis of the number of cell layers, shape
of cells at the apical surface in addition to the
function, epithelium is classified
into:
I-Simple Epithelium:
-It is formed of one layer of cells.

-Types

of simple epithelium are:

-Simple squamous epithelium.

-Simple cuboidal epithelium.
-Simple columnar epithelium:
(ciliated and non-ciliated).
-Pseudostratified columnar:
(ciliated and non-ciliated).

Epithelial cell shape

Squamous -

Cuboidal - Columnar

II-Stratified Epithelium:
-It is formed of more than one layer of cells.
-Its types are:
-Stratified squamous epithelium:
(Keratinized and non-keratinized.)
-Stratified cuboidal epithelium.

-Stratified columnar epithelium:

(ciliated and non-ciliated)
-Transitional epithelium.

1-Simple Squamous Epithelium

-It is formed of one flat scale like cells arranged in one layer,
-The nucleus is flattened and situated in the center

Distribution:
:

-Endothelium of the blood vessels.

-Serous membranes, peritoneum and pleura.
-Anterior chamber of the eye.
-Bowmanns capsule of the kidney.
-Rete testes.
-Surface of the adult ovary.
-Descending loop of Henel.
-Alveoli of the lung.

Squamous Epithelium

2-Simple Cuboidal Epithelium

-The height and thickness of the cells are
nearly equal and the nucleus is central and
spherical.

-Distribution:
-Glandular acini and ducts.
-Cells of the convoluted tubules of the
kidney.
-Thyroid follicles.

Cuboidal Epithelium

3-Simple Columnar Epithelium

-Cells look like columns with basal oval nuclei. may be
ciliated or non- ciliated.

-Distribution:
a-Non cilated
-Lining epithelium of the stomach where it is secretory.
-Combination of both secretory and absorptive columnar
cells of the small intestine.

b-Cilated
-Cells lining the uterus, Fallopian tubes .
- Lung bronchi.

Columnar epithelium

4-Pseudo-Stratified Columnar
Epithelium:
All cells lie on a basement membrane, but not all of them reach
the free surface.

-Distribution:
a-Non-ciliated
-Vas deferens
-Membranous urethra.

b-Ciliated with goblet cells

-Upper respiratory passages; nasal cavities, nasal sinuses.
-Larynx, trachea and bronchi.

Pseudostratified Ciliated
Columnar Epithelium

II-Stratified Squamous Epithelium:

1-Stratified Squamous Epithelium
-It consists of many layers, which differ, in

number. The deepest columnar layer rests on a

basement membrane.
-Next to this layer, there are polyhedral layers
which gradually become more flattened and
then squamous as they approach the surface.
-The columnar and polyhedral cells have large
nuclei and basophilic cytoplasm.
-The surface cells are non-nucleated. Mitosis
occur in the basal layer, but not in the upper
layers

Distribution:
a-The keratinized
-Covers the entire surface of the body and the
orifices of cavities opened in it.

b-The non-keratinized
- The mouth, pharynx, oesophogus.
-Larynx.
-External auditory canal.
-Conjunctiva.
- vagina.
-Terminal urethra.
-Cornea.
-Anal canal.

2-Stratified Columnar Epithelium:

-The surface cells are columnar resting on intermediate

layers of poyhedral cells and basal columnar cells.

-Distribution:
a-Non-ciliated
- Conjunctival fornices.
- large ducts of glands .
- penile urethra.
b-Ciliated
- laryngeal surface of epiglottis
-Foetal osophogus.

3-Stratified Cuboidal Epithelium

- It is similar to stratified columnar except for the

surface cells which are cuboidal.

-Distribution:
-Ducts of salivary glands.
-Ducts of sweat glands.
-The antra of ovarian follicles.
Epithelium of seminiferous tubules in
between Sertoli cells.

Stratified Squamous
Epithelium

4-Transitional Epithelium
-The

cells are pliable .

-In the extended or full bladder
- the epithelium consists of 2-3 layers
-the superficial layer is low cuboidal
-the intermediate are irregular cuboidals
while the basal are low columnar.

-In the contracted or empty bladder

the layers are 5-6 and the surface cells

are large cuboidal convex outer surface
and indented under surface.
- The underlying cells are inverted flask
or pear shaped.
-Distribution:
-It is present in the urinary system; pelvis of
the kidney,ureter, urinary bladder and prostatic
urethra.

4-Transitional Epithelium

III-Glandular Epithelium
It is classified according to:
A-The presence or absence of ducts
B-According to the number of secretory
cells
C-According to the mode of secretion
D-According to the type of secretion
E-According to the shape of secretory
part and duct branching of the gland)

A-The presence or absence of ducts:

1-Endocrine glands
They have no ducts. They secrete their hormonal secretion
directly into the blood. e.g: pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid,
and suprarenal glands.
2-Exocrineglands They have ducts and their secretion
pass through these ducts
to the outside or to the
lumen, e.g.: sweat, sebaceous, salivary and fundic glands.

3-Mixed glands
They have both endocrine and exocrine parts, e.g: pancreas,
testis, ovary and kidney.

Endocrine Glands
- All endocrine glands eventually lose their
ducts and are considered to be ductless
- Endocrine glands produce hormones that
regulate body functions
- These glands secrete directly into the
extracellular space
- The hormones then enter the blood or
lymphatic fluid e.g Pituitary, Thyroid,

Parathyroid, Adrenal, Thymus

1-Endocrine glands

Exocrine Glands
Exocrine

glands are far more numerous

than endocrine
These glands secrete their products
through a duct onto a body surface or into
a body cavity
These glands secrete mucous, sweat, oil,
saliva, bile, digestive enzymes, and many
other substances

2-Exocrineglands

3-Mixed glands

3-Mixed glands

B- according to the number of secretory

cells
1- Unicellular glands:
- They are formed of only one cell.
.Goblet cells of the respiratory mucosa.
.Goblet cells of the intestinal mucosa.

2- Multicellular glands
-They are formed of many cells, e.g: salivary glands
and sweat glands.

Unicellular Exocrine Glands

The

only important example of a

unicellular gland is the goblet cell
Shaped liked a goblet
Distributed in the epithelial linings of the
intestinal and respiratory .
Produces mucin which when dissolved in
water forms mucus.

1- Unicellular glands:

1- Unicellular glands:

2- Multicellular glands

2- Multicellular glands

C-According to the mode of secretion

1- Apocrine glands
The apical parts of the glandular cells are
detached, e.g: mammary glands.

2- Holocrine glands
The whole cells are destructed, e.g: sebaceous
glands.

3- Meocrine glands
The secretion leaves the cells intact without any
destruction to the cells, e.g: salivary glands.

Merocrine glands

Holocrine glands

Apocrine glands

D-According to the type of secretion

1- Mucous secretion as in and goblet cells.
2-Serous secretion: It is watery as in parotid
gland.
3-Mucoserous or mixed secretion: as in
submandibular gland.
4-Fatty secretion: as in sebaceous glands.
5-Watery secretion: as in sweat glands.
6-Waxy secretion: as in glands of the external ear.

According to the (shape of secretory part

and duct branching of the gland)

1-Simple tubular: e.g: Intestinal crypts,

sweat glands ( coiled ).
2 Branched tubular: e.g: stomach glands.

3-Compound tubular e.g:liver,kidney testes.

4- Simple alveolar e.g sebaceous glands

5- Branched alveolar: e.g lactating

mammary glands, tarsal glands.
6- Compound alveolar: e.g: lactating
mammary glands.

7- Simple tubulo alveolar: not present in

human
8- Branched tubuloalveolar: e.g: glands of
the mouth.

9-Compound tubuloalveolar: e.g: salivary

glands, pancreas glands.

Simple Duct Structure

Compound Duct Structure

Neuroepithelium
Main sites:
1- Olfactory mucosa.
2- taste buds.
3- Organ of corti.
4- Cristea ampullaris & Macula
5- Retina ?

IV-Neuro-Epithelium
-These are epithelial structures that are differentiated to
act as nerve receptors.
- Examples:
1-Lingual taste buds
2-Neuroepithelial structures of the internal ear:
-Organ of Corti.
-Cristae ampullares.
-Macula utriculi and Macula sacculi.
3- Olfactory epithelium.

Sense organs
carry messages
about the
environment to
the central
nervous
system.

The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and

skin are examples of sense organs.
The sense organs gather
information (light, sound, heat,
and pressure) from the
environment.

Epithelial
tissue
Epithelial
membranes
(

Simple

Glandular
epithelium

According
to duct

Stratified

Nature of
secretion

Mode of
secretion

Neuroepithelium

Myoepithelium

No. of
cells

According to
branching

According
to shape

Squamous
Squamous

Exocrine

Mucous

Merocrine

Unicellular

Simple

Tubu

Multicellular

Simple
branched

Alve

Compound
branched

Tub
alveo

Cuboidal

Keratinized

Endocrine

Serous

Apocrine

Columnar

Non
Keratinized

Mixed

Mucoserous

Holocrine

Pseudostratified

Ciliated

Non
ciliated

Cuboidal

Waxy

Columnar

Watery

Transitional

Cellular

Fatty

Epithelial polarity and cell-surface

specialization

Most epithelial cells are structurally and

functionally polarized. This polarity is clear in the
specializations that occur in the free surface
lateral plasma membrane and basal membrane .

Epithelial

polarity :

1) Apical modification .
2 ) Lateral modification .
3 ) Basal modification .

Epithelial Surface Features

The apical, lateral and basal cell surfaces of

epithelia have special features

Apical surfaces have microvilli and cilia

Lateral surfaces have cell junctions

Basal surface has a basal lamina

Apical modification
Microvilli :
Shape. It is finger like projection which increase
surface area for absorption .
Contain Many actin and myosin and microfilament
.Sites. Epithelium of small intestine .

Sterocilia :
Shape Long microvilli.Sites Cells lining the
epididymis.

Junctions & Desmosomes

Cilia:
Shape Motile.Contain Microtubules.
Sites Cell lining trachea to push mucous and dust
Cell lining fallopian tuber to push ova

Flagella:
Shape Single long cilium which for the tail of
sperm for moving.

CILIA

Many
short

FLAGELLA

Few
Long

Apical Surface Features

Each cilium contains a core of micro- tubules, nine pairs which

encircle one pair

Lateral modification
Tight junction ( Zonula occludens ) .
Shape

The 2 adjacent cell membrane fuse

completely at certain points preventing
passage of substance between the cells .

Adherent junction ( Zonula adherent ) .

Shape The 2 adjacent cell membrane are
separated by wide inter cellular space filed
with adhesive substance at this area the
cytoplasm is dark rich in actin .

Gap junction ( Nexus ) .

Shape The 2 adjacent cell membrane are
separated by narrow gap ( 2 n m )
communicated by narrow channels . the
ions and nerve impulses can pass through it
. e.g. cardiac muscles cells and between
smooth muscles .

Desmosemer junction(Macula adherens

Shape The 2 adjacent cell membrane are
thickened at the cytoplasmic sides
attachment plates to no filament

Basal modification
Basement membrane:
Formed of:
1 Basal lamina :
glycoprotein .
cell coat .
2 Reticular lamina :
collagen C.T.

Function:
It fixes the epith. to the C.T.
Act as selective barrier .
May be very thin ( in epith. ) .
May be very thick in the skin and trachea .

Hemidesmosomes:
Formed of:
It is 1/2 of desmosomer.

Function :
Fixes the epith. to under lying C.T.

Basal infolding:
In the ion transporting cell.
e.g. cell lining the renal tubules .