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Epithelium or epithelial tissue is a thin, continuous, protective layer of cells with little extracellular matrix. An example is the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. Epithelial (mesothelial) tissues line the outer surfaces of many internal organs, the corresponding inner surfaces of body cavities, and the inner surfaces of blood vessels.
How epithelial cells generate and maintain polarity remains unclear, but certain molecules have been found to play a key role. A variety of molecules are located at the apical membrane , but only a few key molecules act as determinants that are required to maintain the identity of the apical membrane and, thus, epithelial polarity.
A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue.
In a multicellular organism, an organ is a collection of tissues joined in a structural unit to serve a common function. [1] In the hierarchy of life, an organ lies between tissue and an organ system. Tissues are formed from same type cells to act together in a function. Tissues of different types combine to form an organ which has a specific ...
The basement membrane acts as a mechanical barrier, preventing malignant cells from invading the deeper tissues. [7] Early stages of malignancy that are thus limited to the epithelial layer by the basement membrane are called carcinoma in situ. The basement membrane is also essential for angiogenesis (development of new blood vessels).
Functions of epithelial tissue: The principle function of epithelial tissues are covering and lining of free surface; The cells of the body's surface form the outer layer of skin. Inside the body, epithelial cells form the lining of the mouth and alimentary canal and protect these organs. Epithelial tissues help in the elimination of waste.
Many of the key molecular players implicated in cell polarity are well conserved. For example, in metazoan cells, the PAR-3/PAR-6/aPKC complex plays a fundamental role in cell polarity. While the biochemical details may vary, some of the core principles such as negative and/or positive feedback between different molecules are common and ...
Cells within tissues and organs must be anchored to one another and attached to components of the extracellular matrix. Cells have developed several types of junctional complexes to serve these functions, and in each case, anchoring proteins extend through the plasma membrane to link cytoskeletal proteins in one cell to cytoskeletal proteins in ...