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In anatomy, squamous epithelium is epithelium (i.e. tissue found at the outside of the body or at the inside of body cavities) consisting of one or more cell layers, the most superficial of which consisting of flat, scalelike or platelike cells, which are called squamous cells. These surface cells are irregularly shaped and very flat; so flat that the cell nucleus sometimes creates a bump in the surface of the cell. Gases and other substances can easily diffuse across squamous cells, and because of their smooth surface, liquids can quickly flow over them.

One distinguishes between simple squamous epithelium, which consists of a single layer of squamous cells, and stratified squamous epithelium with more than one layer. For example, simple squamous epithelium constitutes the lining of blood vessels (endothelium) and of alveoli in the lung; stratified squamous epithelium makes up the outermost layer of the skin (epidermis) and also lines the esophagus.

Epithelial tissue v • d • e</div>
Columnar (simple, stratified) | Cuboidal (simple, stratified) | Pseudostratified/Respiratory | Squamous (simple, stratified) | Transitional Basal lamina | Cell junction | Cilia | Microvilli | Stereocilia