Chabot College Human Anatomy Laboratory 3.1
Laboratory 3: Epithelial Tissues and Cancer
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify each of the epithelial tissue types under a microscope.
2. Identify key visual characteristics of epithelial tissues.
3. Identify histological changes in cancer.
4. Utilize proper microscope observation techniques.
EPITHELIAL TISSUE HISTOLOGY
The size, shape, and structure of human body cells vary widely because cells have different
functions. Some of this diversity will be observed by comparing the cells of different types of epithelial
tissues.
Epithelial tissues are sheets of cells that cover a body surface or line a body cavity. Thus, they are
frequently located at junctions between the inside of the body and the outside environment. Epithelial
layers are comprised entirely of cells, and their classification is derived from two features:
▪ Shape of cells (squamous, cuboidal, columnar)
▪ Number of cell layers (1 = simple, >1 = stratified)
Epithelial cell layers are anchored onto the underlying protein layer called the basement membrane.
Underneath the basement membrane is a connective tissue layer called the lamina propria that
contains blood vessels and nerves serving the epithelial tissue.
Columnar epithelial tissues may have unicellular glands called goblet cells that produce mucin
(component of mucus). Both goblet cells and columnar epithelial cells have one nucleus per cell, are
rectangularly shaped, and rest on the basement membrane.
Identification
When determining which type of epithelial tissue you see on a slide:
1. Locate the apical (free; adjacent to lumen/space) and basal (attached) surfaces.
Connective tissue = attached side
Lumen = free side
, Chabot College Human Anatomy Laboratory 3.2
2. Count the number of rows of cells between the apical and basal sides:
Basal side
Single row of nuclei = simple
Apical side
Basal side
Two (or more) rows of nuclei = stratified
Apical side
3. Determine the shape of the cells at the apical side.
Cell is tall and skinny = columnar
Apical
side
Cell is about the same height and width = cuboidal
(this is never perfect)
Apical
side
Laboratory 3: Epithelial Tissues and Cancer
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify each of the epithelial tissue types under a microscope.
2. Identify key visual characteristics of epithelial tissues.
3. Identify histological changes in cancer.
4. Utilize proper microscope observation techniques.
EPITHELIAL TISSUE HISTOLOGY
The size, shape, and structure of human body cells vary widely because cells have different
functions. Some of this diversity will be observed by comparing the cells of different types of epithelial
tissues.
Epithelial tissues are sheets of cells that cover a body surface or line a body cavity. Thus, they are
frequently located at junctions between the inside of the body and the outside environment. Epithelial
layers are comprised entirely of cells, and their classification is derived from two features:
▪ Shape of cells (squamous, cuboidal, columnar)
▪ Number of cell layers (1 = simple, >1 = stratified)
Epithelial cell layers are anchored onto the underlying protein layer called the basement membrane.
Underneath the basement membrane is a connective tissue layer called the lamina propria that
contains blood vessels and nerves serving the epithelial tissue.
Columnar epithelial tissues may have unicellular glands called goblet cells that produce mucin
(component of mucus). Both goblet cells and columnar epithelial cells have one nucleus per cell, are
rectangularly shaped, and rest on the basement membrane.
Identification
When determining which type of epithelial tissue you see on a slide:
1. Locate the apical (free; adjacent to lumen/space) and basal (attached) surfaces.
Connective tissue = attached side
Lumen = free side
, Chabot College Human Anatomy Laboratory 3.2
2. Count the number of rows of cells between the apical and basal sides:
Basal side
Single row of nuclei = simple
Apical side
Basal side
Two (or more) rows of nuclei = stratified
Apical side
3. Determine the shape of the cells at the apical side.
Cell is tall and skinny = columnar
Apical
side
Cell is about the same height and width = cuboidal
(this is never perfect)
Apical
side
