COMMON CELL SHAPES
The different cell types in the body have very diverse shapes. Their shapes are almost always closely associated with the functions they perform.
1- flat or pavement cells are flattened like tiles. Their outline can be oval or elongated and their flattened nucleus is usually elliptical. Some times they look like a fried egg in which the yolk would be the nucleus. Many of these cells have cell processses or cell extensions.
2- spherical cells. Many of them only exist in a liquid medium, as is the case of blood cells or cells present in the lymph. Many types of cells, such as macrophages, which are free and migratory, are more or less spherical, depending on their position and on the contact that they establish with neighboring cells or structures.
3- cubic or cuboid cells. Few cells are truly cubic as shown in Fig. 3a. In fact, they are approximately cubic and are called cuboids. They have usually several small surfaces as shown in Fig. 3b, instead of the six surfaces of a true cube. Their walls usually establish contact with neighboring cells.
4- Prysmatic or columnar cells is the name given to cells shaped as tall cuboids (Fig. 4a) and, as in the case of cubic cells, they have several small surfaces (Fig. 4b).
5- Polyhedral cells. The cells that exist in large quantities in the liver (hepatocytes), seen in the first pages of this module, have shapes that vary between approximately spherical and approximately cubic. This type of cell has numerous small surfaces because they establish contact with several neighboring cells. This a very common type of cell shape in the body.
6- Spindle cells. Are cells that have the shape of a spindle, that is, they are long and have thinner ends. The smooth muscle cells are spindle-shaped.
7- Cylindrical cells. Are shaped like cylinders with flattened ends but are not tapered like spindle cells. Cardiac and skeletal muscle cells have cylindrical shapes.
1- flat or pavement cells are flattened like tiles. Their outline can be oval or elongated and their flattened nucleus is usually elliptical. Some times they look like a fried egg in which the yolk would be the nucleus. Many of these cells have cell processses or cell extensions.
2- spherical cells. Many of them only exist in a liquid medium, as is the case of blood cells or cells present in the lymph. Many types of cells, such as macrophages, which are free and migratory, are more or less spherical, depending on their position and on the contact that they establish with neighboring cells or structures.
3- cubic or cuboid cells. Few cells are truly cubic as shown in Fig. 3a. In fact, they are approximately cubic and are called cuboids. They have usually several small surfaces as shown in Fig. 3b, instead of the six surfaces of a true cube. Their walls usually establish contact with neighboring cells.
4- Prysmatic or columnar cells is the name given to cells shaped as tall cuboids (Fig. 4a) and, as in the case of cubic cells, they have several small surfaces (Fig. 4b).
5- Polyhedral cells. The cells that exist in large quantities in the liver (hepatocytes), seen in the first pages of this module, have shapes that vary between approximately spherical and approximately cubic. This type of cell has numerous small surfaces because they establish contact with several neighboring cells. This a very common type of cell shape in the body.
6- Spindle cells. Are cells that have the shape of a spindle, that is, they are long and have thinner ends. The smooth muscle cells are spindle-shaped.
7- Cylindrical cells. Are shaped like cylinders with flattened ends but are not tapered like spindle cells. Cardiac and skeletal muscle cells have cylindrical shapes.
