Goblet cell
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| Goblet cell | |
|---|---|
| Section of mucous membrane of human stomach, near the cardiac orifice. X 45. c. Cardiac glands. d. Their ducts. cr. Gland similar to the intestinal glands, with goblet cells. mm. Mucous membrane. m. Muscularis mucosae. m’. Muscular tissue within the mucous membrane. | |
| Transverse section of a villus, from the human intestine. X 350. a. Basement membrane, here somewhat shrunken away from the epithelium. b. Lacteal. c. Columnar epithelium. d. Its striated border. e. Goblet cells. f. Leucocytes in epithelium. f’. Leucocytes below epithelium. g. Bloodvessels. h. Muscle cells cut across. | |
| Dorlands/Elsevier | c_18/12223516 |
Goblet cells are glandular simple columnar epithelial cells whose sole function is to secrete mucus.
The majority of the cell's cytoplasm is occupied by mucinogen granules, except at the bottom. Rough endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, the nucleus, and other organelles are concentrated in the basal portion. The apical plasma membrane projects microvilli to increase surface area for secretion.
Contents |
[edit] Locations
They are found scattered among the epithelial lining of many organs, especially the intestinal and respiratory tracts. In the respiratory tract, they are found inside the trachea, bronchus, and larger bronchioles.
[edit] Histology
In mucicarmine stains, goblet cells can be easily identified by the deep red membrane found within their cell bodies.
The nuclei of goblet cells tend to be displaced toward the basal end of the cell body, close to basement membrane, leading to instense basophilic staining.
[edit] Etymology
The term goblet refers to these cells' goblet-like shape. The apical portion is shaped like a cup, as it is distended by abundant mucinogen granules; its basal portion is shaped like a stem, as it is narrow for lack of these granules.
[edit] Basal secretion
This is the normal base level secreation of mucous. The continuous secretion is accomplished by cytoskeletal movement of secretory granules.
[edit] Stimulated secretion
Secretion may be stimulated by dust, smoke, etc.
[edit] Additional images
An intestinal gland from the human intestine. |
Goblet cell in ileum |
[edit] External links
- Histology at KUMC epithel-epith08 "Slide 8: Trachea"
- Dictionary at eMedicine Goblet+cell
- Goblet Cells at cvmbs.colostate.edu
- Diagram at uwlax.edu
- Bioweb at UWLAX Zoolab
 | This anatomy article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
| Upper gastrointestinal tract
Mouth | Pharynx (nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx) | Esophagus | Crop | Stomach (rugae, gastric pits, cardia, pylorus) Lower gastrointestinal tract Small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum) | Vermiform appendix Large intestine: Cecum | Colon (ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon) | Rectum (Houston valve, rectal ampulla, pectinate line) | Anal canal (anal valves, anal sinuses, anal columns) Anus: Sphincter ani internus muscle | Sphincter ani externus muscle Enteric nervous system: Meissner's plexus | Auerbach's plexus Enteroendocrine cells: G cells | Enterochromaffin cells | Enterochromaffin-like cell GALT: Peyer's patches | M cells parietal cells | chief cells | goblet cells | Brunner's glands | Paneth cells | enterocytes intestinal villus/microvillus | crypts of Lieberkühn | circular folds | taenia coli | haustra | epiploic appendix |
