squamous

(adjective)

Flattened and scale-like.

Related Terms

Examples of squamous in the following topics:

  • Skin Cancer

    • The three main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (the most common of all cancers), squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
    • Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is commonly a red, scaling, thickened patch on sun-exposed skin.
    • The mortality rate of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma is around 0.3%, causing two thousand deaths per year in the U.S.

  • Cranial Bones

    • The temporal consist of four regions the squamous, mastoid, petrous and tympanic regions.
    • The squamous region is the largest and most superior region.
    • Inferior to the squamous is the mastoid region, fused between the squamous and mastoid regions is the petrous.
    • The frontal bone forms the front of the skull and is divided into three parts the squamous, orbital and nasal parts.
    • The squamous part is large and flat and forms the main region of the forehead, the orbital part lies inferiorly and forms the superior border of the orbit.

  • Types of Epithelial Tissue

    • For example, simple squamous epithelial tissue describes a single layer of cells that are flat and scale-like in shape.
    • The four major classes of simple epithelium are: 1) simple squamous; 2) simple cuboidal; 3) simple columnar; and 4) pseudostratified.
    • Simple squamous epithelium cells are flat in shape and arranged in a single layer.
    • Stratified epithelia can be columnar, cuboidal, or squamous type.
    • Squamous epithelium has cells that are wider than they are tall.

  • Cervical Cancer

    • Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, arising in the squamous (flattened) epithelial cells that line the cervix.
    • This large squamous carcinoma (bottom of picture) has obliterated the cervix and invaded the lower uterine segment.

  • Epithelial Tissues

    • Squamous epithelial cells are generally round, flat, and have a small, centrally-located nucleus .
    • When the cells are arranged in a single layer (simple squamous epithelia), they facilitate diffusion in tissues, such as the areas of gas exchange in the lungs or the exchange of nutrients and waste at blood capillaries.
    • Squamous epithelia cells (a) have a slightly-irregular shape and a small, centrally-located nucleus.

  • Glomerular Filtration

    • The Bowman's capsule (also called the glomerular capsule) surrounds the glomerulus and is composed of visceral (simple squamous epithelial cells) (inner) and parietal (simple squamous epithelial cells) (outer) layers.

  • Venules

    • Venule walls have three layers: an inner endothelium composed of squamous endothelial cells that act as a membrane, a middle layer of muscle and elastic tissue, and an outer layer of fibrous connective tissue.

  • Tonsils

    • For example, the adenoids and tubal tonsils are covered with the ciliated psuedostratified columnar epithelium of the nasopharynx, while the palatine and lingual tonsils are made up of the non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium of the oropharynx.
    • Squamous cell carcinomas (epithelial tumor) and lymphomas (lymphocyte tumor) can also develop in the tonsillar tissue, and removal is a very important treatment.

  • Epithelial Membranes

    • Most mucous membranes contain stratified squamous or simple columnar epithelial tissue.

  • Lung Cancer

    • There are three main sub-types: squamous cell lung carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell lung carcinoma.
    • Accounting for 25% of lung cancers, squamous cell lung carcinoma usually starts near a central bronchus.
    • Well-differentiated squamous cell lung cancers often grow more slowly than other cancer types.