Epithelial as described in biology and medicine is a tissue, known as epitehial tissue that is composed of a layer of cells which are found throughout the body lining cavities, surfaces and structures. Many glands are formed from Epithelial Tissue, lots of Epithelial Cells. This type of tissue is also found on the outside of our skin and is composed of dead stratified squamous and keratinized epithelial cells. Epitehlial tissue inside the body inside cavities and lumen of bodies.

The lining of the mouth, the oesophagus and part of the rectum are lined by nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelial cells, tissues and on the outside of our bodies cavities are lined with squamous / colomnar epithelial cells. Epithelial cells are also found inside the lungs, the gastrointestinal tract, also found in the redproductive and urinary tracts and also makeup the exocrine and the endocrine glands. Another place to find epithelial cells are on the surface of the cornea, which is covered in easily reginerated, fast growing epitehlium.

There are a number of functions that epithelial cells exhibit these are protection, secretion, absorbtion, protection transcellular transport, sensation detection, and selective permeability. There are also Endothelium cells which are a specialised form of epithelium, found in the inner lining of blood vessels, the heart and lymphatic vessels. And another type mesothelium is found in the walls of the pericardium, pleurae, and peritoneum.

Epthelial tissue is clasified as a primary body tissue, the others listed are conncective tissue, nervous tissue and muscle tissue. Epithelial tissue covers the entire surface of the body and made up of cells that are closely packed together in a number of layers. . This specialised tissue is formed to cover the lining of all internal body structures. Epithelial cells are connected to structures in the body through a basement membrane, binding it to neighbouring structures.

Did you know that most breast cancers originate from previously normal breast epithelial cells. This transformation sees the epithelial cells loosing their expression of cell adhesion molecules. These transformed breast cancer cells are no longer regulated by normal cell-cell contact and the normal environmental factors. A lot of research is now done to identify cellular mechanisms to reprogram cancer cells back into their previously normal phenotype, this is seen as one of the most cutting edge responses to cancers. As also accompanying cell transoformation is being detached from the extracellular matrix (anoikis-sensitivity), in normal cells this will call cell death. We believe that at certain initiation (and perhaps advanced) stages of breast cancer there exist opportunities to reverse the cellular changes associated with malignant transformation of epithelial tissue. In some respects this is analogous to reversing an epithelial differentiation that occurs in development.

Epithelium is defined as by the online medical dictionary - The ocvering of internal and external sufaces of the body, including the lining of vessels and other small cavities. It consists of cells joined by smlall amounts of cementing substances. Epithelium is classified into types on the basis of a number of layers deep and the shape of the superficial cells.

Often Epithelium will be mentioned in reference to cancer. For instance Ovarian Epitehlial Cancer - there is a lot of information about this on the web, so please re-search to find out more.

As Epithelial Cells cover most of the body, and organs this means that most cancers of the body involve Epithelial cells. These types of cancers are called 'carcinomas'. These carcinomas make up about 85% of all cancers of the body. There are a lot of resources about these cancers on the internet, and should be consulted for extra information, to get specific advice, about identification and treatment.