Tissues and epithelia

The four basic tissues, then the epithelia in detail: lining or glandular, simple or stratified, squamous, columnar or pseudostratified, their basement membrane and junctions, and what pathology draws from them (metaplasia, carcinoma).

  • 34 cards
  • 3 topics
  • Free

The outline, topic by topic

Each topic is weighted the way the exam weighs it.

  1. Concepts
  2. Scenarios
  3. Understand

A few cards from the deck

  • The four basic tissues: what is it?

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    Epithelial, connective, muscle and nervous: every organ is built from them.

    An organ always combines several tissues.

  • In a heavy smoker, the bronchial epithelium turns stratified squamous. What is this change called?

    • Metaplasia
    • Necrosis
    • Atrophy
    • Hypertrophy
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    Metaplasia

    One epithelium is replaced by another, tougher but without cilia: it is a breeding ground for cancer.

  • Lining epithelium: what is it?

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    A layer of tightly joined cells lining a surface or a cavity.

    It protects, absorbs or secretes depending on its shape.

  • Why is skin a stratified epithelium and the alveolus a simple one?

    • By chance
    • Skin is younger
    • The alveolus is more exposed
    • Skin must withstand friction, the alveolus must let gases through
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    Skin must withstand friction, the alveolus must let gases through

    The epithelium's shape follows its function.

  • Glandular epithelium: what is it?

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    An epithelium specialised in secretion: exocrine if it empties into a duct, endocrine if into blood.

    The pancreas is both exocrine (digestive juice) and endocrine (insulin).

  • A cancer arising from an epithelium is called…

    • A sarcoma
    • A carcinoma
    • A lymphoma
    • A glioma
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    A carcinoma

    A sarcoma arises from connective tissue, a lymphoma from lymphocytes.