APICAL
MODIFICATION
Tissue
It is a group of cells that have similar structure and
that function together as a unit.
Four Types of Tissue:
• Epithelial Tissue
• Connective Tissue
• Muscle Tissue
• Nervous Tissue
Types of Tissue
Connective Tissue – This supports the
other three basic tissues structurally and
functionally.
Types of Tissue
Muscle Tissue – It is made up of
contractile cells and is responsible for
movement.
Types of Tissue
Nervous Tissue – This receives, transmits
and integrates information from outside and
inside the body to control the activities of
the body.
Epithelial Tissue
• A type of tissue that forms the covering on all
internal and external surfaces of
your body.
• It lines body cavities and hollow organs.
• It is the major tissue in glands.
Epithelial Cells
• These cells make up
epithelium.
• They can be found in the
skin, blood vessels and
organs including the
urinary tract.
Epithelial cells exhibit functional polarity:
• Apical domain
• Lateral domain
• Basal domain
• The characteristics and arrangements of the
cells determine the functional polarity of the
three domains.
Apical domain
• The region of the epithelial cell facing the lumen.
• It is rich in ion channels, glycoproteins, and
hydrolytic enzymes.
• Site where regulated secretory products are
delivered for release.
• Exhibits special structural surface modifications to
carry out specific functions.
What is Apical Modification?
• It is a type of cell modification that is found on the
apical surface of the cell.
• This facilitates the movement of substances on the
epithelial surface and increase the surface area of
the epithelial lining.
• Functions for absorption, locomotion and secretion.
Apical Modifications
• Cilia
• Flagella
• Microvilli
• Pseudopods
• ECM
Cilia
• They are short, hair-like
structures attached to the
surface of the cell that move in
waves.
• Assists in the movement of
material over the epithelial
surface.
Classifications of Cilia:
• Motile (e.g. Cilia in
lungs and fallopian
tube)
• Non-motile (e.g. Cilia
in nose and eyes)
Flagella
• They are whip-like
modifications that act like a
propeller.
• Primarily for locomotion.
• Flagella can be seen in
sperms and euglena.
Types of Flagellation:
• Atrichous
• Monotrichous
• Lophotrichous
• Amphitrichous
• Peritrichous
• Amphilophotrichous
Cilia vs. Flagella
Cilia are slender Flagella are lash-like
protuberances that appendage that
project from a much protrudes from the
larger cell body. cell body.
Microvilli
• Attached to finger-like projections
called villi.
• It is a cell modification that
increases surface area of a cell
without increasing its size.
• Increase the rate of absorption of
molecules in intestine, secretion
and cellular adhesion.
Pseudopods
• “False feet”
• Enable the organism to
make temporary and
irregular lobes.
• Used for movement and
engulf prey.
Pseudopods
• Examples are
amoebas and other
eukaryotic cells.
Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM)
• Compounds that secreted
by the cell on its apical
surface.
• It is generally used as a
jelly-like structure instead of
cytoplasm in connective
tissue.
Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM)
• Functions to provide an
essential scaffold for
cells, regulates
processes by controlling
cell communication.
Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM)
Examples:
• Cell wall is the extracellular structure
in plant cells that distinguishes them
from animal cells.
• Glycoprotein is the main ingredient
of ECM in animal cells.
• Finger nails and toenails grow from
matrices. It is found in various
connective tissues.
Places Where Apical
Modification Occur
• Intestine
• Ventricles of the brain
• Kidney tubules
• Blood vessels
• Mouth
• Skin
• Urinary bladder
• Respiratory tract
• Esophagus
“A round man cannot be expected to fit in a
square hole right away. He must have time to
modify his shape.” – Mark Twain
Group 1:
Dannah Joy L. Quillosa
Darrien Sshene L. Remonde
Alliona Jane Calle
Love Joy Nyle Oyangoren
