Epithelial cell

Epithelial cells are cells that come from surfaces of your body, such as your skin, blood vessels, urinary tract, or organs. They serve as a barrier between the inside and outside of your body, and they protect your body from damage. Epithelial cells also have other functions, such as transporting materials between your body and the outside world, and providing sensory inputs.

Structure

Epithelial cells are tightly packed together to form a continuous layer of tissue. This structure allows them to effectively perform their protective function. They are attached to each other and to the underlying basement membrane by specialized structures called desmosomes and hemidesmosomes.

Functions

Epithelial cells have several important functions:

• Protection: They protect your body from damage, such as physical injury, toxins, and bacteria.
• Transportation: They transport materials between your body and the outside world. For example, in your intestines, epithelial cells absorb nutrients from your food and transport them into your bloodstream.
• Sensory input: They provide sensory inputs. For example, in your skin, epithelial cells can detect touch, temperature, and pain.

Types

There are several types of epithelial cells, including:

• Squamous epithelial cells: These are flat and scale-like. They are found in the lining of your blood vessels, lungs, and mouth.
• Cuboidal epithelial cells: These are cube-shaped and are found in your kidneys and sweat glands.
• Columnar epithelial cells: These are tall and column-like. They are found in your stomach and intestines.

Diseases

Diseases that affect epithelial cells include:

• Cancer: This is a disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue. Many types of cancer, such as skin cancer, lung cancer, and breast cancer, originate from epithelial cells.
• Inflammatory diseases: These are diseases in which your body's immune system attacks your own cells. Inflammatory diseases can cause damage to epithelial cells, leading to symptoms such as redness, swelling, and pain.

See also

• Cell (biology)
• Tissue (biology)
• Cancer
• Inflammation

Epithelial cell Resources
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