The cells of the simple columnar epithelium are much taller than their width. They have elongated nuclei located in the lower half of the cell. Here, you will know the answer to the question – ‘Where is simple columnar epithelium found?’
Quick answer: the simple columnar epithelium is found in the stomach, intestine, and gallbladder lining. Again, the ciliated simple columnar lines most of the respiratory tract, uterus, and uterine tubes.
You will also find this type of epithelium in some other animal organs. I will discuss the simple columnar epithelium from these organs here.
I will also discuss the identifying features of the simple columnar epithelium under the light microscope. Let’s learn the location and microscopic features of the simple columnar epithelium from the animal body.
Where is simple columnar epithelium found?
There are two types of simple columnar epithelium found in the animal body –
- Simple columnar epithelium that has no particular specialization and
- Ciliated simple columnar epithelium, which possesses cilia on its apical surface,
The simple columnar epithelium is found in the following organs of the animal –
- The mucous membrane of the glandular stomach and abomasum of the ruminant,
- Lining of the large and small intestine of the animals, and
- The mucous membrane of the gallbladder,
The small intestine’s lining shows the columnar epithelium with the striated border. You will find the brush border in the simple columnar epithelium that lines the gallbladder.
The ciliated simple columnar epithelium is found in the following organs of the animal –
- Mucosal lining of the respiratory tracts,
- The lining of the uterus and uterine tube,
- The efferent ductus of the animal’s testis,
- Parts of the middle ear and auditory tubes of the animals,
- The ependymal lining of the central canal of the spinal cord and
- Ventricles of the animal’s brain,
I have already described all the histological features of the organ mentioned above here on Anatomy Learner. You may learn more about these organs with their lining epithelium.
What is the shape of simple columnar epithelium?
The shape of the simple columnar epithelium is columnar-shaped. That means the height of this type of columnar epithelium is greater than the breath.
The cells of the simple columnar are arranged in a single layer. Usually, the nuclei of the simple columnar are oval and are located near the base of the cells. All nuclei are placed at the same level in neighboring epithelium cells.
The cells of this simple columnar epithelium are rectangular in the vertical section. Again, they are polygonal in the surface view or in the transverse section.
Types of simple columnar epithelium
Typically, there are two types of simple columnar epithelium found in the different parts of the body –
In some conditions, the cell surfaces of the columnar epithelium have no specific special features. These are the typical simple columnar epithelium mostly found in the gastrointestinal tract.
Some of the simple columnar epithelium cells have cilia on the apical surface. These are the ciliated simple columnar epithelium commonly found in the respiratory tract, uterus, and uterine tube.
You may also find another simple columnar epithelium in the animal body. They have the specialized striated border (microvilli) on the apical surface of the epithelium. These types of simple columnar are found in the lining of the small intestine and gallbladder.
The microvilli of the cell surface are only visible under the electron microscope. However, under the light microscope, the region of the microvilli is seen as the striated border or brush border.
These depend on the arrangement of the microvilli on the epithelium surface. When the microvilli are arranged in a regular pattern on the cell surface, it is known as the striated border. Again, the irregular arrangement of the microvilli gives the brush border appearance.
How do we identify simple columnar epithelium under the light microscope?
Following are the identifying features of the simple columnar epithelium under the light microscope –
- The presence of the single layer of columnar-type cells resting on the basement membrane,
- The height of the columnar cells is greater than the breath,
- There are oval nuclei that are located on the basal part of the cells,
- Presence or absence of the cilia, microvilli (striated or brush border) on the apical surface of the cells,
Is columnar epithelium found in the uterus?
Answer: yes, the simple columnar epithelium is found in the lining of the uterus. They show the typical features of the simple columnar epithelium.
There are specialized cilia on the apical surface of the columnar cells of the uterus. Here, the diagram shows the simple columnar epithelium lining from the endometrium of the uterus.
The diagram also shows the elongated or rectangular cells on the endometrium with the elongated nuclei. The animal uterus’s endometrium also contains the uterine gland in its lamina propria part.
These uterine glands of the uterus also line with the simple columnar epithelium (non-ciliated). You may know more about the microscopic features of the animal uterus from the below-mentioned article –
Is columnar epithelium found in the stomach?
Answer: Yes, you will find the simple columnar epithelium lining in the mucosal fold of the stomach. The higher magnification of the mucosal fold of the stomach shows the oval nuclei of the simple columnar epithelium.
These nuclei of simple columnar is lying close to and perpendicular to the basement membrane. Thus, they form a single row of oval nuclei on the basement membrane.
The large supra-nuclear part of the cytoplasm of the simple columnar is eosinophilic and distinct. Here, the diagram shows the typical simple columnar epithelium from the mucosal fold of the stomach.
Is columnar epithelium present in the small intestine?
Answer: yes, the columnar epithelium is present in the small intestine’s lining. Here, you will find the striated border on the apical part of the simple columnar epithelium of the small intestine.
The diagram shows the simple columnar epithelium with the striated border from the small intestine. The lining cells of the small intestine show the thickening with the vertical striation. These are the microvilli or striated borders of the simple columnar epithelium of the small intestine.
Where is simple columnar epithelium found in the brain?
Answer: the simple columnar epithelium is found in the brain’s ventricles. The special name of these cells is the ependymal cells.
They are also found in the lining of the central canal of the spinal cord. Like the simple columnar, you will find similar structural features of the ependymal cells.
Simple columnar epithelium in uterine tube
The mucosal fold of the animal uterine tube also lines with the simple columnar epithelium. These mucosal folds with the epithelium project into the lumen of the uterine tube.
Here, the high magnification of the simple columnar epithelium shows the apical cilia from the uterine tube. It also shows the elongated nuclei at the base of the cells.
Conclusion
So, the answer to the question _ ‘Where is simple columnar epithelium found?’ was revealed. Typically, the simple columnar epithelium lines the luminal surface of the organs that perform the absorptive or secretory functions.
Typical simple columnar epithelium is present in the gastrointestinal tract and gallbladder lining. A simple columnar with apical specialization lines the mucosal surface of the uterus, uterine tube, and auditory tubes.
