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epithelial cells Flashcards

1
Q

what are the 5 major categories of cells?

A

haematopoietic cells

neural cells

contractile tissues

connective tissue cells

epithelial cells

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2
Q

what type of cells are haematopoietic cells?

A

blood cells, tissue-resident immune cells, cells of bone marrow from which they are derived

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3
Q

what type of cells are neural cells?

A

cells of the nervous system

2 main types:

  • neurones - carry electrical signals
  • glial cells - support cells
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4
Q

what type of tissues are contractile tissues?

A

skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, smooth muscle

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5
Q

what type of cells are connective tissue cells?

A

fibroblasts (various tissues)

chondrocytes (cartilage)

osteocytes (bone)

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6
Q

what type of cells are epithelial cells?

A

cells forming continuous layers that line surfaces and separate tissue compartments (among other functions)

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7
Q

epithelial cells form layers, which requires the cells to have what properties?

A

well organised

make stable cell-cell junctions

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8
Q

why is it important that epithelial cells make stable cell-cell junctions?

A

stability and maintenance of junctions key to their function as a continuous layer
e.g in separating tissue compartments or lining the surface of a tissue

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9
Q

what are the 2 ways in which epithelial cells are categorised?

A

based on histological appearance

either on shape or layering

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10
Q

what are the 3 categories of epithelial cells by shape? give short descriptions.

A

squamous (flattened, plate like shapes)

columnar (arranged in columns)

cuboidal (cube like)

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11
Q

what are the 2 categories of epithelial cell by layering? give short descriptions.

A

simple epithelium (single layer)

stratified epithelium (multi layer)

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12
Q

what is usually found underneath the epithelium?

A

extracellular support matrix (basement membrane)

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13
Q

where is simple squamous epithelium found?

A

lung alveolar epithelium (thin epithelium allowing gas exchange to occur)

mesothelium (lining major body cavities)

endothelium lining blood vessels and other blood spaces

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14
Q

where is simple cuboidal epithelium found?

A

lining ducts

e..g kidney collecting ducts

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15
Q

where is simple columnar epithelium found?

A

surfaces involving absorption and secretion of molecules

e.g enterocytes lining the gut (involved in take up of breakdown products for digestion)

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16
Q

what are the 2 main types of epithelial cells?

A

keratinising and non-keratinising

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17
Q

what are keratinising epithelial cells? give an example of where they can be found.

A

cells that produce keratin

this causes them to die and become stronger structures

they lose their cellular organelles and nuclei (not visible under light microscopy)

forms thick layers that protect underlying tissues from various factors (e.g heat/cold, solvents, abrasion)

e.g in the epidermis

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18
Q

what are non-keratinising epithelial cells? give 5 examples of where they can be found.

A

cells that do not undergo keratinisation

retain nuclei and organelles

found in the mouth, oesophagus, anus, cervix and vagina (internal suraces subject to physical and chemical damage)

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19
Q

what is pseudo stratified epithelium and where can it be found?

A

epithelium appears to be multi-layered but surface cells have contact with basal lamina

e.g airway epithelium (trachea and bronchi), ducts in urinary and reproductive tracts

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20
Q

how is the cell membrane of epithelial cells organised into discrete domains?

A

by formation of junctions

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21
Q

describe the polarity of epithelial cells.

A

apical domain - at the lumenal (open) surface

basolateral domain - surface in contact with the extracellular matrix

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22
Q

where is the lateral membrane?

A

between epithelial cell surface and extracellular membrane, where membranes of adjacent cells are close to each other

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23
Q

what property do most epithelial functions share? give examples of these functions.

A

directionality

e.g secretion, fluid transport, solute transport, absorption (highly organised processes)

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24
Q

why is epithelial polarity important?

A

gives directionality needed for epithelial function (such as secretion, fluid transport, solute transport, absorption)

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25
Q

what is polarity in epithelial cells seen as?

A

different regions of the cell surface being different from each other, with discretely organised cellular contents

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26
Q

in transporting epithelia (which transport ions and fluids across epithelial layers) what property do the pumps and channels involved need to have?

A

need to be polarized

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27
Q

what are the consequences of the pumps and channels involved in transporting epithelia not being polarized?

A

they end up being present in all part of the plasma membrane

pump both apically and basal laterally

no directionality, flow is in all directions and not to one aspect of the epithelia

if channels and pumps are polarized then directionality is achieved in the direction required because pumping only occurs on one aspect of the plasma membrane

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28
Q

why is polarity important in secretion?

A

need to secrete substance either to the apical aspect (into lumen) or to the basal aspect (towards interstitial space)

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29
Q

what property does the machinery used in secretion require?

A

polarization

30
Q

why does the machinery used in secretion need to be polarized?

A

otherwise secretion occurs both through apical and basolateral compartments - secretion in wrong aspect could be disastrous

e.g secretion of digestive enzymes to basal aspect could lead to digestion of your own tissues

31
Q

what are the 4 main types of cell-cell junction?

A

tight junction

adherens junction

desmosomes

gap junction (channel forming junctions)

32
Q

what is the function of tight junctions?

A

form a belt around the apical lateral membrane

involved in sealing gaps between cells

33
Q

what is the function of adherens junctions?

A

controls formation of other junction

least conspicuous when examined in microscopy

34
Q

what is the function of desmosomes?

A

spot junctions

form mechanically tough junctions between cells

important in tissues that have to resist mechanical stresses

35
Q

what is the function of gap junctions?

A

form pores between cells

allow cells to exchange and share materials

36
Q

what do the cell-cell junctions allow cells to do?

A

form communities

synchronise activities

37
Q

what do the plasma membranes of transporting epithelia contain high concentrations of?

A

ion transporters

38
Q

what feature do the basal membranes have and why is it important?

A

membrane has infoldings

increases SA; increased amount of membrane that can pump ions and water

39
Q

which organelles are closely associated with basal membrane infoldings and why?

A

mitochondria

provide energy for active transport across the membranes

40
Q

where are the mitochondria concentrated and why?

A

basal aspect (close to infoldings which contain active transporters)

provide ATP for active transport at basal membrane

41
Q

what is the direction of transport in an epithelial cell (from which aspect to which aspect)?

A

apical to basal

42
Q

where does most passive transport of water and ions occur in an epithelial cell?

A

apical plasma membrane

contains many ion and water channels

43
Q

active transport is mainly confined to the basal membranes - this allows for what property to occur?

A

directionality

44
Q

where are carriers transporting nutrients etc. found?

A

brush border membranes

e.g enterocytes (absorptive intestinal cells)
kidney proximal tubule cells

45
Q

how is the surface area of the small intestine increased?

A

it is long

interior surface of small intestine wall folded into finger-like processes (villi) which are covered with intestinal epithelial cells

46
Q

what are microvilli?

A

plasma membrane projections of the villi

47
Q

how are secretory cells arranged in the small intestine along the villi?

A

goblet cells secreting mucus interspersed between absorptive cells in the villi

48
Q

microvilli form a brush border in the small intestinal epithelium - what does it contain large amounts of and why?

A

many active transporters and channels

needed for uptake of nutrients from gut lumen

as concentration of nutrients increases in cytoplasm of absorptive cells, they diffuse down the concentration gradient into the basal interstitial space to be collected in the capillaries and distributed in the circulation

49
Q

what are the 2 main types of secretion?

A

exocrine

endocrine

50
Q

what is exocrine secretion?

A

secretion into a duct or lumen

51
Q

what is endocrine secretion

A

secretion into the bloodstream

52
Q

the pancreas has both exocrine and endocrine functions - describe them briefly.

A

endocrine - hormones (e.g insulin) secreted from cells in the islets of Langerhans

exocrine - digestive enzymes secreted

53
Q

how are secretory cells arranged in epithelial tissues whose main purpose is not secretion?

A

individual, dispersed secretory cells present

54
Q

how is the secretory apparatus of an exocrine secretory cell organised?

A

organelles arranged for secretion from apical plasma membrane

lots of RER in basal cytoplasm (generation of substance to be secreted)

Golgi apparatus in the middle (for packaging and processing of secretory molecules)

secretory granules in apical cytoplasm

direction of secretion: basal to apical

55
Q

how is the secretory apparatus of an endocrine secretory cell organised?

A

organelles arranged for secretion from basal membrane into the bloodstream

lots of RER in apical cytoplasm (generation of substance to be secreted)

Golgi apparatus in the middle (for packaging and processing of secretory molecules)

secretory granules in basal cytoplasm (so that they have close access to blood circulation)

capillary surrounded by basal aspect of endocrine secretory cells

direction of secretion: apical to basal

56
Q

what are the 2 ways cells can be classified based on the way they secrete?

A

constitutive

stimulated

57
Q

what happens in constitutive endocrine secretion? give an example of when this occurs.

A

secretory vesicles move directly to plasma membranes as they are formed and release their contents

e.g production of plasma proteins by hepatocytes

58
Q

what happens in stimulated endocrine secretion? give 2 examples of when this occurs/

A

secretory vesicles stored in the cytoplasm and only fuse with the plasma membrane to release their contents when stimulated

e. g release of adrenaline from cells of adrenal medulla after fight-or-flight stimulus
e. g release of digestive enzymes into ducts from pancreatic acinar cells which are stimulated when stomach contents enter the duodenum

59
Q

what are the 3 types of epithelial cell specialisation?

A

transporting epithelia

absorptive epithelia

secretory epithelia

60
Q

many epithelia are constantly ‘turning’ over due to what 2 processes?

A

cells lost by cell death

mechanical removal of cells (e.g abrasion)

61
Q

how are cells lost by cell death or mechanical removal in the epithelia replaced?

A

proliferation of stem cells within the epithelium

62
Q

give 2 examples of epithelia ‘turning over’.

A

cells in intestinal crypts replace cells lost from tips of intestinal villi

cells of basal layer of stratified squamous epithelia divide to replace cells lost from the surface

63
Q

describe the process of epithelial turnover in the small intestine.

A

new cells produced by stem cells in Crypt of Leiberkhun

new cell migrated up the villus epithelium to replace cells constantly being lost from villus tip

64
Q

why can chemotherapy produce many gastro-intestinal disturbances as side effects?

A

inhibition of proliferation of intestinal crypt cells

drug slows down/halts cell division

cell loss from the villus tips is normal but failure to produce new cells to replace lost cells results in loss of tissue

therefore villi are shortened

loss of villi and flattening of intestinal mucosa results in gastro-intestinal disturbances

65
Q

name the layers of the dermis and the epidermis.

A

(deep to superficial)
dermis

(epidermis)
basal lamina (membrane)

basal cell layer

prickle cell layers

granular cell layer

keratinised squamous cells (many layers)

upper layer of keratinised squamous cells; about to flake off from surface

66
Q

what is the epidermis?

A

keratinising stratified squamous epithelium of body surface

67
Q

describe the process of epithelial turnover in the epidermis.

A

surface cells constantly being lost

new cells form in the basal layer and migrate upwards

differentiation occurs as migration takes place so that cells flatten out and keratinise

each layer replaces the one above it as layers are lost from the surface

68
Q

what is hyperproliferation of epithelial cells and why does it occur?

A

increased cell numbers and thickening of cell layers

happens in response to repeated or constant pressure

69
Q

what can hyperproliferation of epithelial cells result in and how?

A

if increase in cell production due to repeated or constant pressure is greater than cell loss from the surface, cells will accumulate

accumulation creates an increased thick hard layer

local hyperproliferation can lead to hard skin or corns

70
Q

how can infectious agents such as the papilloma virus induce hyperproliferation of epithelial cells?

A

hijack cell machinery of stratified squamous epithelia

71
Q

what effect can infectious agents such as the papilloma virus have and how?

A

hijack cell machinery of stratified squamous epithelia to induce hyperproliferation

results in surface growth such as warts

PoM (42 decks)

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