squamous

(adjective)

Flattened and scale-like.

Related Terms

Examples of squamous in the following topics:

  • Skin Cancer

    • The three main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (the most common of all cancers), squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
    • Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is commonly a red, scaling, thickened patch on sun-exposed skin.
    • The mortality rate of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma is around 0.3%, causing two thousand deaths per year in the U.S.

  • Cranial Bones

    • The temporal consist of four regions the squamous, mastoid, petrous and tympanic regions.
    • The squamous region is the largest and most superior region.
    • Inferior to the squamous is the mastoid region, fused between the squamous and mastoid regions is the petrous.
    • The frontal bone forms the front of the skull and is divided into three parts the squamous, orbital and nasal parts.
    • The squamous part is large and flat and forms the main region of the forehead, the orbital part lies inferiorly and forms the superior border of the orbit.

  • Types of Epithelial Tissue

    • For example, simple squamous epithelial tissue describes a single layer of cells that are flat and scale-like in shape.
    • The four major classes of simple epithelium are: 1) simple squamous; 2) simple cuboidal; 3) simple columnar; and 4) pseudostratified.
    • Simple squamous epithelium cells are flat in shape and arranged in a single layer.
    • Stratified epithelia can be columnar, cuboidal, or squamous type.
    • Squamous epithelium has cells that are wider than they are tall.

  • Cervical Cancer

    • Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, arising in the squamous (flattened) epithelial cells that line the cervix.
    • This large squamous carcinoma (bottom of picture) has obliterated the cervix and invaded the lower uterine segment.

  • Glomerular Filtration

    • The Bowman's capsule (also called the glomerular capsule) surrounds the glomerulus and is composed of visceral (simple squamous epithelial cells) (inner) and parietal (simple squamous epithelial cells) (outer) layers.

  • Venules

    • Venule walls have three layers: an inner endothelium composed of squamous endothelial cells that act as a membrane, a middle layer of muscle and elastic tissue, and an outer layer of fibrous connective tissue.

  • Tonsils

    • For example, the adenoids and tubal tonsils are covered with the ciliated psuedostratified columnar epithelium of the nasopharynx, while the palatine and lingual tonsils are made up of the non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium of the oropharynx.
    • Squamous cell carcinomas (epithelial tumor) and lymphomas (lymphocyte tumor) can also develop in the tonsillar tissue, and removal is a very important treatment.

  • Epithelial Membranes

    • Most mucous membranes contain stratified squamous or simple columnar epithelial tissue.

  • Lung Cancer

    • There are three main sub-types: squamous cell lung carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell lung carcinoma.
    • Accounting for 25% of lung cancers, squamous cell lung carcinoma usually starts near a central bronchus.
    • Well-differentiated squamous cell lung cancers often grow more slowly than other cancer types.

  • Pharynx

    • The nasopharynx contains psuedo-stratified squamous cell epithelia tissue that is ciliated (covered in tiny hairs that move mucus).
    • The oropharynx is lined by non-keratinized squamous stratified epithelium, which is thicker than the epithelium found in other parts of the respiratory tract in order to prevent damage from food, but not as thick as skin as it lacks keratin.
    • The laryngopharynx naturally continues into the esophagus tissue and is made up of a similar type of stratified squamous epithelium tissue.