Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Characterizing Epithelial Wound Healing In Vivo Using the Cnidarian Model Organism Clytia hemisphaerica
Published on: February 10, 2023
Models of epithelial histogenesis
A Casasco1, M Casasco, A Icaro Cornaglia
1Department of Experimental Medicine, Histology and Embryology Unit, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. andrea.casasco@unipv.it
Abstract:
Epithelial tissues emerge from coordinated sequences of cell renewal, specialization and assembly. Like corresponding immature tissues, adult epithelial tissues are provided by stem cells which are responsible for tissue homeostasis. Advances in epithelial histogenesis has permitted to clarify several aspects related to stem cell identification and dynamics and to understand how stem cells interact with their environment, the so-called stem cell niche. The development and maintenance of epithelial tissues involves epithelial-mesenchymal signalling pathways and cell-matrix interactions which control target nuclear factors and genes. The tooth germ is a prototype for such inductive tissue interactions and provides a powerful experimental system for the study of genetic pathways during development. Clonogenic epithelial cells isolated from developing as well mature epithelial tissues has been used to engineer epithelial tissue-equivalents, e.g. epidermal constructs, that are used in clinical practise and biomedical research. Information on molecular mechanisms which regulate epithelial histogenesis, including the role of specific growth/differentiation factors and cognate receptors, is essential to improve epithelial tissue engineering.
Related Concept Videos
Classification of Epithelial Tissues: Overview
Based on the number of cell layers,...
Classification of Epithelial Tissues: Glandular Epithelium
Multicellular glands are formed during early development when epithelial budding...
Classification of Epithelial Tissues: Stratified Epithelium
Classification of Epithelial Tissues: Simple Epithelium
Because of the thinness of the cells, simple squamous epithelium is present where the rapid passage of chemical compounds is observed. For example, the endothelium that lines the capillaries and vessels...
Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells

