squamous cells

Definition: Squamous cells have the appearance of thin, flat plates that can look polygonal when viewed from above.

Their name comes from squāma, Latin for scale – as on fish or snake skin. The cells fit closely together in tissues; providing a smooth, low-friction surface over which fluids can move easily. The shape of the nucleus usually corresponds to the cell form and helps to identify the type of epithelium.

Squamous cells tend to have horizontally flattened, nearly oval shaped nuclei because of the thin flattened form of the cell.

Squamous epithelium is found lining surfaces such as the skin, and alveoli in the lung, enabling simple passive diffusion as also found in the alveolar epithelium in the lungs.

Specialized squamous epithelium also forms the lining of cavities such as in blood vessels, as endothelium and in the pericardium, as mesothelium and in other body cavities.

See also

  epithelial cells