TYPES OF COVERING EPITHELIA
There are several types of covering or lining epithelia. The criteria for their classification are as follows:
- number of their cell layers.
- shape of their cells.
In case there is only one layer, the epithelium is classified as a simple epithelium. If there is more than one layer, the epithelium is called stratified.
Unfortunately, the classification of some types of epithelium escapes these two categories. Stay tuned for more details on the following pages!
The shape of cells criterion is applied in two ways:
a) if it is a simple epithelium, having only one layer of cells, the shape of this layer of cells applies.
b) if it is a stratified epithelium, the shape of the cells of the most superficial layer (furthest from the connective tissue) applies.
It may seem complicated, but it is quite simple. See the various types of lining epithela on the next page, from the easiest to the most complex.