EPITHELIAL TISSUE Meaning and
Definition
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Epithelial tissue refers to one of the four primary types of animal tissue, along with connective, muscular, and nervous tissue. It is a highly organized and tightly packed cellular layer that covers the surfaces of organs, forms the linings of body cavities, and also makes up the majority of the outer skin layer. Epithelial tissue acts as a protective barrier, allowing for the interaction and communication between the internal and external environments of an organism.
This type of tissue is composed of a continuous layer of closely packed cells, referred to as epithelial cells, which are typically anchored to a basement membrane. Epithelial cells exhibit polarity, meaning they have distinct apical (exposed) and basal (attached) surfaces. The apical surface of epithelial tissue often contains specialized structures such as microvilli or cilia, which serve various functions like increasing surface area for absorption or aiding in movement.
Epithelial tissue can be further classified based on several characteristics such as the shape of its cells (such as squamous, cuboidal, or columnar) or the number of layers of cells it possesses (such as simple or stratified). This classification system gives rise to different types of epithelial tissue, including simple squamous epithelium, stratified squamous epithelium, simple cuboidal epithelium, simple columnar epithelium, and pseudostratified columnar epithelium, among others.
Overall, epithelial tissue plays vital roles in protecting underlying tissues, regulating the exchange of materials, and providing selective permeability. It is found throughout the body and ensures the proper functioning of various organs and systems.
Common Misspellings for EPITHELIAL TISSUE
- wpithelial tissue
- spithelial tissue
- dpithelial tissue
- rpithelial tissue
- 4pithelial tissue
- 3pithelial tissue
- eoithelial tissue
- elithelial tissue
- e-ithelial tissue
- e0ithelial tissue
- eputhelial tissue
- epjthelial tissue
- epkthelial tissue
- epothelial tissue
- ep9thelial tissue
- ep8thelial tissue
- epirhelial tissue
- epifhelial tissue
- epighelial tissue
Etymology of EPITHELIAL TISSUE
The word "epithelial" comes from the Greek word "epithelium", which is a combination of two words: "epi", meaning "upon", and "thelium", meaning "nipple" or "teat". The term "epithelial tissue" was coined to describe the layer of cells that forms the outer surface or lining of various organs and structures in the body, similar to how the teat or nipple is situated on the surface of the skin.
Similar spelling words for EPITHELIAL TISSUE
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