UNSW Cell Biology

Medicine: Society and Health: Epithelia

Introduction

In embryological development, epithelia/mesenchyme interactions lead to the formation of many different tissues. In the adult, epithelia exist in many different tissues and are histologically classified by their structure. The simplest epithelia is a single layer of cells which may in turn have different cell shapes. More complex epithelia have several layers, which in turn may have different functions.

Since many different tissues contain specialized epithelia, many different types of medical research require an understanding of epithelia formation and specialization.

Student Guide

Brief Study (1-15 minutes)

Start by looking at the online textbooks. These links will give you an introduction to Epithelium and some images.

Detailed Study (15-30 minutes)

Next more detailed online resources introduce key concepts of Epithelium. Includes a link to a complete set of lecture slides on Epithelium.

In Depth (+30 minutes)

Then look at the Epithelium research.

Includes links to review articles and animations.

Links

Search NLM Online Textbooks- "Epithelium"

Molecular Biology of the Cell

Molecular Cell Biology

The Cell- A molecular Approach

Related Topics

cell junctions, extracellular matrix, adhesion junctions, Epitheliums, signaling, Epithelium, Epithelium, ligands