CHAPTER 4: Epithelial Tissue

CHAPTER 4: Epithelial Tissue
Intercellular Adhesion and Other Junctions:

 closely aggregated polyhedral cells; line organ
cavities and cover body surface  Tight or occluding junctions ‒ form a seal
 Principal functions of epithelial tissue: between adjacent cells
o Covering, lining, protecting surfaces
o Absorption Claudin and occluding ‒ make a tight interaction to
o Secretion create a seal between two membranes
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF EPITHELIAL CELLS: Molecules cross epithelium by:

Lamina propria ‒ connective tissue that underlies the Transcellular path ‒ through the cells
epithelia lining the organs of digestive, respiratory, and Paracellular pathway ‒ between cells
urinary systems
Papillae ‒ increases area of contact between 2 tissues;  Adherent or anchoring junctions ‒ sites of
projecting from the connective tissue into the strong cell adhesion; usually immediately below
epithelium the tight junction
Basal pole ‒ region of cell containing ECM and
connective tissue Cadherins ‒ mediate cell adhesion
Apical pole ‒ at the opposite end, facing space
Lateral surface ‒ adjoin cells; increase area and Catenins ‒ bound by cadherins; link actin filaments with
functional capacity of that surface actin-binding proteins
Basement membrane ‒ thin, extracellular felt-like sheet
of macromolecules where basal surface of epithelia Terminal web ‒ a cytoskeletal feature of the apical
rests poleformed by actin filaments linked to the adherens
Basal lamina ‒ thin, electron-dense, sheet-like junction
layer of fine fibrils
Desmosome ‒ this junction resembles a single “spot-
Reticular lamina ‒ beneath basal lamina weld” and does not form a belt around the cell
Type IV collagen ‒ monomers of type IV collagen self-  Gap junction ‒ channels for communication
assemble into a 2-D network of evenly spaced subunits between adjacent cells
resembling the mesh of a window screen.
Connexins ‒ transmembrane gap junction proteins
Laminin ‒ large proteoglycans that attach to formed by hexameric complexes called connexons
transmembrane integrin proteins in the basal cell
membrane and project through the mesh formed by Hemidesmosomes ‒ anchoring junctions that attach
type IV collagen cells to the basal lamina
Nidogen and perlecan ‒ they cross-link laminins to type Focal adhesion ‒ another basal anchoring junction
IV collagen network to provide the basal lamina’s 3D found in cells that are moving during epithelial repair or
structure, bind epithelium to that structure, and reorganization
determine porosity and size of molecule able to filter
through it Focal adhesion kinase ‒ initiates a cascade of
intracellular protein phosphorylation affecting cell
Basal laminae ‒ semipermeable barriers regulating adhesion
macromolecular exchange between the enclosed cells
and connective tissue.
SPECIALIZATIONS OF THE APICAL CELL SURFACE
*More diffused meshwork of reticular lamina contains
type III collagen Microvilli ‒ specialized for absorption in the apical
surfaces of epithelia; usually uniform in length; visible
Type VII collagen ‒ bind type III collagen to the basal as brush or striated border
lamina
Stereocilia ‒ facilitate absorption; line the male  Secretory (Glandular) Epithelia ‒ epithelial cells
reproductive system; has motion detecting function that function mainly to produce and secrete
(inner ear sensory cells) various macromolecule
Cilia ‒ long, highly motile apical structures, larger than Goblet cell ‒ secretes lubricating mucus
microvilli, and containing internal arrays of
microtubules not microfilaments; Exocrine glands ‒ remain connected with the surface
‒ has a core structure consisting of nine peripheral epithelium; have ducts
microtubule doublets arrayed around two central
microtubules; this 9 + 2 assembly of microtubules is Secretory portions and ducts ‒ transport secretion out
called an axoneme of exocrine glands
Basal bodies ‒ apical cytoplasmic structures just below Endocrine glands ‒ lose the connection to their original
the cell membrane epithelium; lack ducts
TYPES OF EPITHELIA Glands can be:

 Covering or Lining Epithelia  Simple – unbranched ducts
 Secretory (Glandular) Epithelia  Compound – branched ducts
Covering or Lining Epithelia ‒ organized into one or Secretory portions can be:
more layers that cover the surface or line the cavities of  Tubular – either short or long and coiled
an organ  Acinar – rounded and saclike
Keratinized ‒ packed with keratin filaments Compound glands - can have branching ducts and can
Nonkeratinized ‒ with relatively sparse keratin have multiple tubular, acinar, or tubuloacinar secretory
portions.
Types of Secretion: TRANSPORT ACROSS EPITHELIA
Na+/K+ pump - extrusion of Na+ from cells by the
 Merocrine secretion - most common method of transmembrane protein Na+/K+-ATPase; allows cells to
protein or glycoprotein secretion; involves maintain the required low intracellular sodium
typical exocytosis from membrane-bound concentration
vesicles or secretory granules Transcellular transport - transfer of ions (by ion pumps)
and water (via aquaporins) in either direction across the
 Holocrine secretion - cells accumulate product epithelium
continuously as they enlarge and undergo
terminal differentiation, culminating in
complete cell disruption that releases the
product and cell debris into the gland’s lumen
 Apocrine secretion - product accumulates at

the cells’ apical ends, portions of which are then
extruded to release the product together with
small amounts of cytoplasm and cell membrane
Serous cells - synthesize proteins that are mostly not

glycosylated
Mucous cells - contain heavily glycosylated proteins
called mucins; when mucins are released from the cell,
they become hydrated and form a layer of mucus.
Seromucous glands - have both serous acini and
mucous tubules with clustered serous cells; product of
such glands is a mixture of digestive enzymes and
watery mucus

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CHAPTER 4: Epithelial Tissue

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CHAPTER 4: Epithelial Tissue

Intercellular Adhesion and Other Junctions:

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF EPITHELIAL CELLS: Molecules cross epithelium by:

TYPES OF EPITHELIA Glands can be:

 Apocrine secretion - product accumulates at

Serous cells - synthesize proteins that are mostly not

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