11/17/2014 Microscopic Anatomy Introduction & Epithelium Thomas Poole Flashcards
What is histology (microscopic anatomy)?
The study of tissues and their components
What do tissues consist of?
Groups of cells with varying amounts of extracellular matrix that perform specific functions
What are organs?
Larger functional units of two or more tissues
How can organs be divided?
- parenchyma
- cells responsible for the main organ function
- stroma
- supporting elements or matrix of the organ
What are the four basic types of tissues?
- Epithelial Tissue
- Connective Tissue
- Muscular Tissue
- Nervous Tissue
Describe nervous tissue
- intertwining elongated processes
- no extracellular matrix
- transmits nervous impulses
Describe epithelial tissue
- aggregated polyhedral cells
- very small amount of extracellular matrix
- lines surface of body cavities and involved in glandular secretion
Describe muscle tissue
- elongated contractile cells
- moderate amount of extracellular matrix
- involved in movement
Describe connective tissue
- several types of fixed and wondering cells
- abundant amount of extracellular matrix
- involved in support and protection
What does the preparation of tissue for light microscopy involve?
- fixation
* preserves the structural organization
* formalin most common fixative –> cross-links proteins & nucleic acids
* osmium tetroxide (osmic acid) –> fixes lipids - sectioning
* cut 3 to 10 micron sections of specimens embedded in paraffin - staining
* localize and distinguish cell and tissue components
What does eosin (acidic stain) bind?
Basic structures and components
- Na+(dye)-
- acid radical has the dye
- cytoplasm, cytoplasmic filaments, collagen fibers, and basement membrane
- stained objects –> acidophilic or eosinophilic
What does hematoxylin (basic stain) bind?
Acidic structures and components
- (dye)+Cl-
- basic radical has the dye.
- heterochromatin, nucleolus, the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and sulfated GAGs
- stained objects –> basophilic
What does the stain mixture of hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) distinguish?
Nucleus from cytoplasm
What is epithelium?
- group of closely coherent cells that form cellular sheets
- cover and line the many surfaces and lumens of the body
- derived from all three germ layers of the embryo
Describe epithelial cells
- polyhedral in shape –> packing in layers or in three dimensions
- shapes: columnar, cuboidal, and squamous
- shape of the nucleus corresponds to shape of cell
- long axis of the nucleus parallel to long axis of the cell
- long axis of columnar cell perpendicular to basal lamina
- most epithelial cells rest on connective tissue
- in digestive, respiratory, and urinary systems called lamina propria
What are the small invaginations of the lamina propia that provide more area of contact called?
Papillae
What are basal laminae composed of?
type IV collagen
laminin
entactin
proteoglycans
Who attaches the basal laminae to the connective tissue?
Anchoring fibrils made of type VII collagen
Is the basal lamina visible with the light microscope?
No, only visible with the electron microscope where one can see a dense 20-100 nm thick layer of fine fibrils called the lamina densa
What type of fiber are associated with the basal lamina forming a reticular lamina in some tissues?
reticular fibers (type III collagen)
What is the basement membrane?
Thicker layer of basal lamina and reticular lamina visible in the light microscope
What structures contribute to cohesion of epithelial cells?
Cadherins and interdigitations of lateral membrane
What can be found in some epithelial cells such as those in the intestinal epithelium?
A junctional complex of zonula occludens (tight junction) and zonula adherens as well as desmosomes and gap junctions are found on the lateral surfaces
What is the role of the zonulae occludens?
Permeability
What do hemidesmosomes help do?
Bind some epithelial cells to the basal lamina