Epithelial tissue

• Epithelial Tissue


  Tissue found in lining organs or surfaces
• Types of Epithelial Tissue


  • Squamous epithelial tissue
  • Ciliated columnar epithelial tissue
  • Endothelial tissue
• Squamous epithelial tissue


  • 1 cell thick
  • Short diffusion path
  • Made from flattened cells forming a thin, flat layer
  • Large surface area for diffusion of gases
  • Found lining structures where diffusion happens
  • Good blood supply to maintain concentration gradient
• Squamous epithelial tissue


  • Alveoli in the lungs, which provide a short diffusion path to allow rapid diffusion of oxygen into the blood and carbon dioxide into the lungs
• Function of squamous epithelial tissue


  Allows materials to pass through by diffusion and filtration
• Endothelial tissue


  • Flattened cells
  • 1 cell thick
  • Short diffusion path
• Endothelial tissue


  Found in lining of the hearts, blood vessels and lymphatic (vessels that make up the lymphatic system)
• Endothelial cells


  • Provide a short diffusion pathway for the movement of various substances
• Substances moved through endothelial cells


  • Products of digestion into blood capillaries
  • Blood plasma and lymph tissue function
• Carbon monoxide and high blood pressure


  Can damage the inner lining of the arteries
• Repair of damaged endothelium

  1. White blood cells repair the damage

  2. Encourage the growth of smooth muscle in these damaged areas
• Fatty substances are deposited under the endothelium instead of on the surface (atherosclerosis)
• These deposits (atheroma) may break through the inner lining to form a plaque in the lumen of the artery
• Plaque formation in the artery lumen

  Reduces the size of the lumen and restricts the blood flow, making the heart work harder