Tissues-epithelial cells Flashcards
What is the cytoskeleton and what 3 molecules make it up?
The cytoskeleton is a system of filaments formed by protein monomers-3 main types: microtubules, intermediate filaments and microffilaments
Remeber the cytoskeleton is DYNAMIC
What are microtubules? What do they do?
alpha and Beta tubulin heterodimers -20nm
Involved in cell shape, act as tracks in the cell and general organelle movement; Main componenent of cilia and flagellae, and part of mitosis (mitotic spindle-pull chr apart)
Originate from MTOC
What are intermediate filament? what do they do?
Group of polymers proteins-around 15nm
Type of IF has the characteristics of the cell type (epithelia have cytokeratin, mesenchymal has vimentin, etc)
IF give mechanical strength, are part of desomosomes
The nucleus envelope is layered by nuclear lamins - stabilising the envelope
What are microfilaments? What do they do?
Smallest filarments, polymer of glibular protein (like actin)-involved in cell movement and cell shape-crawling, contraction-usualy needs accessory proteins
F-actin mostly around the cell, and microtubules like tubulin all around
How diverse are cells? What are the main exemple of main cell type groups? what cancers arise from them?
there are over 200 cell types-and they make up tissues, (even more variants), organs, etc
Main types are connective tissue (fibroblast, chondrocytes, osteocytes-carcinomas), contractile tissue (muscle, caridac musle, etc)
Haematopoetic (RBC and WBC-form leukemoas or lymphomas)
Neural cells (nervous system cells-neuroblastomas)
Epithelial (continous layers-line surfaces-form carcinomas
What is the ECM? What is it made of? organised?
Extracellular matrix-deposited by cells that form insoluble scaffold of extrcellular environement
Generally composed of fibriller prots (collagen, elastin) in a hydrated gels (proteoglycans), but can be organised or not
How are epithelial cells organised? What do they do?
Epithelial make organised, stable juncts to form continuous and choesive layers. They line internal and external body surfaces, usually as a barrier-and cell to cell junctions are key to its role
What are cell to cell junctions?
Cel-cell adhesion-apical region region formed by junctional complex, and then layered by 2 forms-zonulae (belts) or maculae (spots)
What s the apical junctional complex? What 2 complex make it?
Its composed at tight junction (TJ), followed by an adherens junction just under (AJ).
Tight junctions are belt (zonula occludens), form a netword of contacts, and act as a seal between seals (segragate apical and basolateral cells)
Adhesion belts (zonula adherens)-form in basal to TJ. Used cadherin (Ca2+ deêndent), which also associate with microfilaments-controls assembly of other junctions
what is the desmosome? What does it do?
Its a spot junction, found at multiple point of cell-cell-using cadherin like molecule. Link to intermediate filaments, and helps provde mechanical continuity between cells
What is a gap junction?
Its a pore made of 6 identical subunits-continuous with pores in next cell
Allows passage of ions and small molecules-has a size limit, but allows signals to pass through-and is also the electrical synaspe
What is another type of cell to cell junction not present in epithelial?
Chelical synaspe, found in neural tissue-passes neurotransmitter to transfer signal
What are the ways to classify epithelium? And where can you find some?
2 main criterias-shape and layering.
Shape varies from sqamous (flat), cuboidal to colmunlar (tall)
Layering is either simple or stratified (can be pseudo startified)
Simple sqamous form a thing single layer-lungs, mesothelim, endothelium
Simple cuboidaol-kidney collecting ducts and other ducts
Simple columnal-intestinal absorptive and other absorptive
stratified sqaumous-thick resilient tissue-keratynising (skin, or dry tissue), non keratynising (wet tissue)-moth, oasophagus, anus
Pseudostatified-looks starified, but all cells have contact with basal lamine-airway, ducts
What is polarity? is it required by epithelial cells? What is key to form it? What are the parts called?
Polarity is the sense of direction. It is crucial for epithelium, because usally want to stop things coming one way-need to all be facing one side, or singalling, (one side), etc
Crucially, junction help define 2 biochemically different regions-apical domain and basolateral domain (under junction)-they have different membrane and function. basal in contact with ECM. LAteral membrane is between the two but not that different from basal
Why can glucose can be uptaken and not released?
Tight junction stop glucose from passing anywhere but in the cell-and then use active transporters to take in glucose against gradient. Gradients are maintained by the TJ as well -> cell controlls any passage