Continuing from last lecture...

Epithelial tissues Functions of epithelial tissues secretion: epithelium in stomach and glands (columnar) absorption: enterocytes of the epithelial layer of the intestine, kidney (re-absorption) transport: transporting materials from one compartment to another in connective tissue protection: stratified squamous epithelium of the skin receptor function: olfactory epithelium and taste buds...modified epithelial cells that are linked to nerves...gives sensation of taste and smell. Cell polarity and modifications each cell has a polarity...in the sense that different parts of the cell face different compartments. ie. Apical portion faces out towards the lumen. This apical domain (the top) can be modified with different structures...can see this in EM...can have microvilli (out-pocketing of the membrane), stereocillia, cillium (which may or may not be motile). The lateral domain holds the cells together via a variety of adhesions...can anchor cells together, can also have a cluting junction around the apex (prevents passage of materials in between the cells...blocks digestive enzymes from moving from the lumen into the cell tissue). The cell junctions can also function in cell-cell communication. Basal domain basement membrane....holds the cells to the connective tissue beneath...cell to extra-cellular matrix junctions. Can have infoldings of the basal membrane...increasing surface area of secretion and absorption...called invaginations. Apical Domain Small intestine brush board at the top (absorptive surface)...materials transported from the apical down to the basal membrane...blood vessels at the bottom. White pockets: after having a meal, glucose concentration goes up, glucose enters the cell through apical domain, then pumped out at the bottom near the lateral domain...water follows through osmosis, so the white pockets are areas where water is going, and the cells open up to allow for increase in volume. Molecular structure of microvilli can be motile. Projections have actin filaments within them...many filaments parallel to one another...actin associated with myosin=movement. A core of actin filaments are interconnected, and then in turn connected to the plasma membrane by myosin I. Villin cap...holds the surface very firmly. Can be about 1-3 microns in size...diameter varies, but anywhere to 50-100 nm. Spectrin filaments at the bottom...forms a network (terminal web)..attach to actin...they stabilize the actin filaments. Can have contractions, so that the cell is squeezed together..at the apical end...can also have movement in the lateral (vertical axis...stretching). Mysosin II at the bottom can cause squeezing. Stereocillia immotile microvilli...but they can move a little. Unusually long. Have a variety of components within them...actin filaments, connections with myosin with plasma membrane for stabilization. Dont worry about Ezrin. Fimbrin is the crosslinks between the actin. Terminal web...extensive crosslinking, actin also found here...alpha-actin is present. Can be upto 120 microns. Can be very thick. Sensory mechanoreceptors in the inner ear. Cilia can be motile, but not all of them are motile, some cells have large #s of cillia...good example is trachea...mucous is moved up through branchial tree and coughed up. Brush board appearance. Moves fluid and particles along epithelial cells. Motile cells are described as having

a 9+2 microtubule core...9 doublets and 2 single. The doublets (A & B..oo) form microtubules, have a spoke associated with them that connects it to the central core (aka central sheath). Structural component called nexin is also associated to the doublet...and also dynein arms (attached to doublet). Can bend the cilia due to the dynein arms. At the basal body (plate), you will see triplets (A, B, & C...ooo) and no singlets. Referred to as basal foot...can also have a rootlet with a banding pattern....referred to as a banded rootlet....these hold the cilia in place. Immotile cilia are not much different have a 9+0 substructure. Usually involved in sensory reception...chemoreception, osmoreception, mechanoreception...sometimes directly associated with nerve terminals. Another cilia called nodal cilia...found in the embryo (also have 9+0)...these are involved in rotational movement; involved in development of the fetus...cannot have normal embryonic development without this movement. Defects of cilia immotile cilia syndrome: immotile because they lack dynein arms, which are involved in motion...ie. Kartageners syndrome; the inability of the respiratory track to move mucous up and clear the pathway. Death. Polycystic kidney disease (PKD): caused by simple mutation in two genes for cilia (autosommal recessive)...dont function as mechanorceptors and results in multiple cysts expanding in kidney cortex...destroys the kidney. These mechanoreceptors normally determine the flow of fluid through the kidney. Causes renal failure. Now this is also found in other organs, like pancreas, liver, ears...could be anywhere where mechanoreceptors are found. Death. Hydrocephalus internus: ciliary defect in ependymal cells...line the cavities of the brain...no movement of cerebral spinal fluid, which cannot be moved through ventricles...fluid accumulates and causes swelling. Very serious. Lateral Domain Cell-cell adhesion. Can look at stains and see a series of bars in epithelium...there appears to be some glue\cement like structure in between the cells (can see this while looking straight down the cells). This is referred to as a terminal bar...holds cells together See Fig. 5.14: ZO: zonula occludens; prevents things from getting into cells ZA: zonula adherens; adheres the cells together. Gap junctions: green things in the figure. Very important in cell-cell communication. Desmosomes: found in between cells...hold cells tightly together..sometimes called maculae adherens. Hemidesmosomes: basically a desmosomes. Focal adhesions Zonula occludens (tight junctions) structures that hold the cells together and prevent anything from passing through....There can be two types: one is very tight; little diffusion...molecules do not readily pass through the cells, but water and electrolytes may pass through...good example of this type is intestinal epithelium (prevents digestive enzymes from getting through). The other is less tight; in the kidney...water can flow readily, and can bring with it electrolytes...more diffusion taking place. Structures: occludin, claudin. Claudins are involved in water channel regulation

other junctional adhesion molecules (JAMs)

Zonula Adherens anchor cells...make cells adhere to each other. There are cell adhesion molecules associated with ZA...so far 50 have been identified. These are classified into 4 families. 1. Cadherins: associated with Ca2+ and make adjacent cells link to each other (calcium is in between two cadherins). 2. Integrins: connected to fibronectin 3. Selectins: form lymphocytes...associated in lymph nodes. Have special structures in between them, cross-connect with selectins from neighbouring cells and hold them together. 4. Ig domains: IgSF super-family. Ig=immunoglobin, so part of the immunoglobin family. Play a role in immune response. Play a role in bacteria attachment to cells. Muscle cells, especially cardiac muscle, have broad adhesion plates. Sometimes referred to as fascia adherens...they are not zonula, they are sheets of adherens. The actin filaments are about 6 mm in diameter. There are terminal webs associated with the points of adhesion. Macula Adherens -- desmosomes can be easily identified on EM. The area around it is filled with an electron-dense material, so appears black. There is also a lot of filamentous material radiating out. So always electron dense, and focal. Held together very tightly, strong adhesion. Desmocolins and desmogleams hold everything very tightly. There is a cadherin zipper...they come together laterally...don't actually zip and unzip. Gap junctions often found between cells that are electrically connected. If one cell is depolarized, the signal is transmitted across to a neighbouring cell. The cells are held together very tighly. Large numbers of connexon molecules....like a rivet...enlarged at both ends, thinner in the middle (they are made of conexin). Connexons have a pore, large enough to allow a variety of molecules across...typically electrolytes. Ca2+ is believed to regulate the closure of the pores. Transcellular from apical down to basal Paracellular across from one cell to another. This is how gap junctions function. Defects? Bacteria binds and inactivates claudins (which regulate water channels)...leads to leakier junctions, water moves to lumen (water flows in wrong direction)...can cause diarrhea. Parasites (house dust mites) fecal pellets contain a variety of compounds, one of these are peptidases, which can destroy the occludins in ZO. If this is in the respiratory tract, it can cause problems...can become leaky, exposed to allergens, which can produce allergies, breathing difficulties, can induce asthma.