epithelia

(noun)

The covering of internal and external body surfaces, where tight junctions are found.

Related Terms

Examples of epithelia in the following topics:

  • Glandular Epithelia

    • Epithelia can also be organized into clusters of cells that function as exocrine and endocrine glands.

  • Types of Epithelial Tissue

    • Stratified epithelia are more durable and protection is one their major functions.
    • Stratified epithelia can be columnar, cuboidal, or squamous type.
    • In keratinized epithelia, the most apical layers (exterior) of cells are dead and lose their nucleus and cytoplasm.
    • Transitional epithelia are found in tissues that stretch and it can appear to be stratified cuboidal when the tissue is not stretched, or stratified squamous when the organ is distended and the tissue stretches.

  • Tight Junctions

    • Tight junctions are located within our body’s epithelia. 
    • Epithelia is the plural of epithelium. 

  • Gastrulation

    • Following gastrulation, cells in the body are either organized into sheets of connected cells (as in epithelia), or as a mesh of isolated cells, such as mesenchyme.

  • Characteristics of Epithelial Tissue

    • Epithelia tissue forms boundaries between different environments, and nearly all substances must pass through the epithelium.

  • Desmosomes

    • They are common in numerous epithelia including the skin and are also found in muscle tissue where they bind muscle cells to one another.

  • Female Duct System

    • The fallopian tubes, also known as oviducts, uterine tubes, and salpinges (singular salpinx) are two very fine tubes lined with ciliated epithelia, leading from the ovaries of female mammals into the uterus, via the utero-tubal junction.

  • Gap Junctions

    • This includes epithelia, which are the coverings of body surfaces, as well as nerves, cardiac (heart) muscle, and smooth muscle (such as that of the intestines). 

  • Cystic Fibrosis

    • CFTR regulates the movement of chloride and sodium ions across epithelial membranes, such as the alveolar epithelia located in the lungs.

  • Pharynx

    • The nasopharynx contains psuedo-stratified squamous cell epithelia tissue that is ciliated (covered in tiny hairs that move mucus).