Epithelia I,II,III Flashcards
What are some common properties of epithelial cells?
Adherent to one another; arranged in layers; polarized (apical and basal surfaces); basal lamina; high turnover (driven by epithelial stem cells); avascular (nutrients and O2 diffuse through connective tissue and through basal lamina to reach epithelial cells); highly diverse
What is the basal lamina
A sheet of extracellular material. Lines and is attached to the basal surface and is also attached to elements of the underlying connective tissue
What are some functions of epithelia?
Barrier; absorption; transport; secretion; movement; biochemical modification; communication; reception
What are 2 tissue types that are similar to epithelia but different? How are they different?
Endothelium (tisue that faces blood and lymph). Mesothelium (line enclosed internal spaces of the body cavities)
What is the epithelial to mesenchymal transition?
A process by which epithelial cells lose their cell polarity and cell-cell adhesion, and gain migratory and invasive properties to become mesenchymal stem cells. They may migrate and form new epithelia or may transform into non-epithelial cell lineages that give rise to other tissues.
Where are the blood vessels and many nerves that service the epithelia?
In the connective tissue (CT)
What are some exceptions to the general rule that epithelia is separate from blood/lymph/nerve etc?
Taste buds in the tongue and other specific sensory nerve cells that make intimate contact with specialized epithelial cells. Dendritic cells (from the immune system) that can migrate from epithelia to connective tissue to blood/lymph
What is the lamina propria?
AKA the CT direcly underneath the outer epithelium of the mucosae
What is the submucosa?
Deeper layers of CT. Has different properties and houses other tissues (bigger vessels and muscles, nerve axon bundles, etc.)
What are the analagous relationships for mucosa and skin?
Epithelium = epidermis. Lamina propia = dermis. Deeper CT = hypodermis
Describe the arragemet of simple epithelia
All cells arranged in a single layer or sheet
Describe the arragemet of stratisfied epithelia
More than one layer of cells in which cells of the outer layers do not directly contact the basal lamina
Describe the arragemet of pseudostratisfied epithelia
A special case where some cells do not reach the free surface (giving a stratified appearance), but all directly rest on the basal lamina
Describe the arragemet of squamous epithelia
Flattened cells
Describe the arrangement of cuboidal epithelia
Cells are cube-like
Describe the arragemet of columnar epithelia
Taller than they are wide
Describe the arrangement of stratified epithelia
Named according to their outermost layer (e.g. stratified squamous epithelia have a squamous outer layer, though inner cells are often cuboidal)
Describe the arragnement of transitional epithelia
Found around the bladder. A special case: these epithelia are stratified, but when stretched change their shape from cuboidal to squamous, and appear to decrease the layering: this is indicative of a tightly adherent epithelium that is very resilient and stretchable.
Describe tight junctions. What are the AKA?
AKA zonula occludens. Provide a highly selective barrier that limits or prevents diffusion of substances between epithelial cells. Also limit/control diffusion of membrane proteins through the plasma membrane bilayer. Ensure that substances absorbed or secreted must pass through the epithelial cell by specific transport pathways.
What are key core proteins of tight juncitons
occludins and claudins
Describe adherence junctions. What are they AKA?
AKA zonula adherens. Promote attachment but also polarity, morphological organization and stem cell behavior within the epithelial sheet. Contain cadherins
What do cadherins (in adherence junctions) do?
Link to actin filaments and other adapter/signaling proteins in the cytoplasm. Are transmembrane proteins with extracellular domains that interact with each other, and cytoplasmic tails that bind adapters and actin filaments. Some cadherin-associated proteins (e.g. beta catenin and protein kinases) control various aspects of epithelial polarity, development, and function.
Describe desmosomes. What are the AKA?
AKA macula adherens. Promote mechanical strength and resist shearing forces and promote the structural organization of the epithelial sheet. Contain a different class of cadherins
What do cadherins (in desmosomes) do?
Link to intermediate filaments and other adapter proteins
Describe gap junctions
Promote rapid communication between epithelial cells through diffusion of ions and small molecules
Which two part of the epithelia are polarized? What does this mean?
1: Plasma membrane (different surface have different transporters, ion channels, receptors, proteins, etc) 2: Cytoplasm (cytoskeleton; organelles and secretory vessels all have specific arrangements)