Epithelial cells line internal organs and cover the exterior of the body. They are divided into three groups: squamous, cuboidal and columnar. Simple epithelium is referred to as having only one layer of epithelial cells, whereas stratified epithelium has two or more layers. A basement membrane supports epithelial cells, which interact with one another via tight junctions, which are protein complexes.
All body parts contain epithelial cells, including the digestive system, skin, and lungs. In addition to performing absorption and digestion, intestinal epithelial cells protect organs against ingested pathogens.
Epithelial cells range based on cell shape and the number of cell layers.
The number of cell layers and the structure of the cells are used to categorise epithelial tissue.
Squamous epithelial cells resemble fish scales or flake-like structures when compressed or flattened. The cells have an oval-shaped nucleus and are broader than they are tall.
Cuboidal epithelial cells are square-shaped cells with a comparable width to height ratio.
Columnar epithelial cells are rectangular or column-shaped, suggesting they are taller than wide.
Simple epithelium comprises a single layer of epithelial cells seated on a basement membrane. Cells might be columnar, cuboidal, and squamous.
A stratified epithelium contains two or more layers of cells. They can also be divided into squamous, cuboidal, and columnar types depending on the shape of their topmost layer of cells.
Simple columnar epithelium includes pseudostratified epithelium. It is called ‘pseudo’ because, while being only one, it seems to have several layers.
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Read Also:
- Epithelial Tissue
- Epithelial Tissue & Connective Tissue: Animal Tissue
- Squamous Epithelial Cells
- An Overview of Transitional Epithelium
- Cuboidal Epithelium – Types and Functions
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