Stratified squamous epithelium
This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2013) |
Stratified squamous epithelium | |
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epidermis. The layer of keratin here is named the stratum corneum. | |
Details | |
Shape | Many layers of flat cells |
Identifiers | |
TH | H2.00.02.0.02025, H2.00.02.0.02030 |
FMA | 45563 |
Anatomical terms of microanatomy] |
This article is part of a series on |
Epithelia |
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Squamous epithelial cell |
Columnar epithelial cell |
Cuboidal epithelial cell |
Specialised epithelia |
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Other |
A stratified squamous epithelium consists of squamous (flattened)
In the epidermis of skin in mammals, reptiles, and birds, the layer of keratin in the outer layer of the stratified squamous epithelial surface is named the stratum corneum. Stratum corneum is made up of squamous cells which are keratinized and dead. These are shed periodically.
Structure
Non-keratinized
Non-keratinized surfaces must be kept moist by bodily secretions to prevent them from drying out. Cells of stratum corneum are sometimes without keratin and living.
Examples of non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium include some parts of the lining of
.Even non-keratinized surfaces, consisting as they do of keratinocytes, have a minor superficial keratinized layer of varying thickness, depending on the age of the epithelium and the damage it has experienced.
Keratinized
Keratinized surfaces are protected from absorption by keratin protein. Keratinized epithelium has keratin deposited on the surface which makes it impermeable and dry. Examples of keratinized stratified squamous epithelium include skin, the epidermis of the palm of the hand, and the sole of the foot,[3] and the masticatory mucosa.
Gallery
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Epithelium
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[Micrograph] of normal stratified squamous epithelium and theAlcian blue stain.
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Non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium, image highlights the epithelial nucleuses, rest of the epithelial layer, underlying connective tissue and other epithelia
References
- ISBN 978-0470-59892-4.
[referring to stratified squamous epithelium] Description: Two or more layers of cells; cells in apical layer and several layers deep to it are squamous; those in the deep layers vary in shape from cuboidal to columnar.
- ISBN 978-0-321-88418-3.
- ^ Pratt, Rebecca. "Stratified Squamous Epithelium (Keratinized)". AnatomyOne. Amirsys, Inc. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2012-09-28.