TOB L3 Flashcards
Describe surfaces with epithelial linings
EXTERIOR SURFACES:
- Skin
- Surface of cornea
INTERIOR SPACES OPENING TO EXTERIOR
- GI tract
- Respiratory tract
- Genitourinary tract
INTERIOR SPACES THAT DO NOT OPEN TO EXTERIOR
- Pericardial sac
- Pleural sacs
- Peritoneum
- Blood + lymphatic vessels
Describe how epithelial cells are derived
Epithelial cells are derived from all three germ layers of the embryo
Ectoderm =
- Epithelium (epidermis) of skin
- Corneal epithelium of eye
Mesoderm:
- Epithelium of urogenital tract
- Blood + lymphatic vessel lining
- Pericardial + pleural sac lining
- Peritoneal lining
Endoderm
- Epithelia of respiratory tract
- Epithelia of GI tract
- Epithelium of liver + glands including thyroid, thymus, salivary glands
Diagram showing the three germ laters of the embryo
Describe the different types of epithelia
Simple = (one cell layer thick)
-squamous
-cuboidal
-columnar
-pseudostratified
Stratified/compound = (>once cell layer thick)
-squamous
-cuboidal
-columnar
-transitional
What is the relation between epithelia and basement membranes?
All epithelia are anchroed to an underlying basement membrane
Describe the structure and function of the basement membrane
- Strong, sheet-like, flexible layer of ECM
- Supports epithelium + important in cellular signalling
Basement membranes are mostly compised of type III (reticular fibrils), type IV (basal lamina) and type VII collagens.
BM forms a thin, flexible, acellular layer separating epithelial cells from underlying connetive tissue
State how glycoproteinsw in the basement membrane are identified
PAS - Periodidc Acid Schiff stainining
How can we distinguish simple squamous epithelium?
- Nuclei bulge from cell surface
- Single layer
- Thin scale-like flat cells
- All rest on basement membrane
State locations of simple squammous epithelia
- Lining of blood and lymph vessels (endothelium
- Lining of body cavitities - pericardium, pleura, peritonduem (mesothelium)
- Respiratory epithelium - pulmonary alveoli
- Bowman’s capsule (kidney)
- Loop of henle (kidney)
- Inner and middle ear
- Intercalated pancreatic ducts
What is “endothelium” and state its function ?
Simple squamous epithelium lining vasculature (arteries, veins, capillaries, lymphatic vessels)
- Exchanges gases + nutrients
- Allows specific blood cells to enter tissues
- Regulates platelet coagulation
What is “mesothelium”?
Epithelium lining the body cavities (pleural + abdominal)
Functions of simple squamous epithelia
- Lubrication - to allow movement of viscera (pericardium, pleura, peritoneum)
- Gas exhange - in Pulmonary alveoli
- Barrier - in Bowman’s capsule
- Passive transport of water and ions - in loop of henle
- Active transport by pinocytosis (mesothelium + endothelium)
How can we distinguish simple cuboidal epithelium?
- Cells equal width + height
- Nucleus centrally placed + round
- May / may not feature brush border of microvilli
- All rest on basement membrane
State locations of simple cuboidal epithelia
- Thyroid follicles
- Small ducts of many exocrine glands
- Kidney tubules
- Respiratory bronchioles
- Mesothelium of ovary
Histology of simple cuboidal epithelium of pancreatic duct
State the role of simple cuboidal eputhelium in thyroid gland follicles
Simple cuboidal epithelium of thyroid gland follicles is made up of thyrocytes
Thyrocytes synthesise thyroxine, which is stored in its precursor form, thyroglobulin in the colloid
C cells (parafollicular cells) secrete CALCITONIN
State the role of simple cuboidal epithelium in the kidney tubules
- 65% of golumerular filtrate absorbed by PCT
- Na+ resorbed in DCT under control of aldosterone (secreted by adrenal cortex)
- ADH secreted by posterior pituitary gland increases permeability of collecting ducts leading to production of hypertonic urine
Histology of mesothelium of ovary
State functions of simple cuboidal epithelia
- Absoroption + conduit (exocrine glands)
- Absorption, conduit, secretion (kidney tubules)
- Barrrier / covvering (ovary)
- Hormone synthesis + mobilisation (thyroid)
conduit - channel liquid
mobilisation - moving
How can we distinguish simple columar epithelium ?
- Rectangular cells
- Ovoid, basal nucleus
- May be cilliated or may have microvilli
- All rest on basement membrane
State locations of simple columnar epithelium
- Stomach lining + gastric glands
- Small intestine + colon
- Gallbladder
- Large ducts of exocrine glands
- Oviducts
- Uterus
- Ductuli efferentes of testsis
Histology of simple columnar epithelium in the colon
Simple columnar epithelium: Crypts of Lieberkuhn in the colon
State the role of simple columnar epithelium in the gall bladder
- Concentrates bile (produced by liver) by absorbing water + electrolytes
State the role of simple columnar epithelium in straiated duct of parotid salivary gland
- Removes Na+ to make saliva hypotonic (lots of energy + transporters needed)
Why is the simple columnar epithelium of this duct striated?
- due to in foldings of the cell membranes
State 4 types of intercellular junctions
Interceullular junctions create a contiguous (boarders touching), functional epithelium
- Tight junctions
- Gap Junctions
- Adherance Junctions
- Spot Junctions
(make sure to recognise on diagram)
Tight Junctions
- Also called Zonula occludens
- Consist of occludins + connect microfilaments of adjascent cells
- Control diffusion in apical regions
Adherens junctionjs
- Formed of belts of cadherin proteins linking microfilaments of adjascent cells
Spot Junctions
- Also called maculae adherens / desmosomes) are comprised of integrins + provide a contigous epithelium
- Anchored to intermediate filaments
State the function of hemidesmosomes
Anchor cells to basal lamina via integrins
State the function of Junctional Complexes
Control passafe of luminal complexes between cells
Junctional complexes isolate the luminal sapce from the intercellular space.
Fluid is moved from e.g. the intestinal lumen into cell, then into intercellular sapce, then across basement membrane into connective tissue, int vasculature
State the functions of Cholera Toxins
Disrupt complex junctions in gut
This increases intestinal permeability
Give an example of a specialisation of epithelia
Simple columnar epithelia cells with microvilli