Goblet cell

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Goblet cell

Goblet cells are gland

Gland

A gland is an Organ in an animal's body that synthesizes a substance for release such as hormones or breast milk, often into the bloodstream or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface ....
ular simple columnar epithelial

Epithelium

In biology and medicine, epithelium is a Biological tissue composed of cell s that line the cavities and surfaces of structures throughout the body....
cells

Cell (biology)

The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known Life organisms. It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living, and is often called the building bricks of life....
whose sole function is to secrete mucus

Mucus

In vertebrates, mucus is a slippery secretion produced by, and covering, mucous membranes. It is a viscous colloid containing antiseptic enzymes and immunoglobulins that serves to protect Epithelium in the respiratory,...
. They use both apocrine

Apocrine

Apocrine is a term used to classify exocrine glands in the study of histology. Cells which are classified as apocrine bud their secretions off through the plasma membrane producing membrane bound vesicles in the Lumen ....
and merocrine

Merocrine

Merocrine is a classification of exocrine glands in the study of Histology.A cell is classified as merocrine if the secretions of that cell are excreted via exocytosis from secretory vesicles opening into a gland's acinus and flowing through an Epithelium duct or ducts and thence onto a bodily surface or into the Lumen ....
methods for secretion.

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.

are found scattered among the epithelial lining of organs, such as the intestinal and respiratory tract

Respiratory tract

In humans the respiratory tract is the part of the anatomy that has to do with the process of Respiration .The respiratory tract is divided into 3 segments:...
s.

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Encyclopedia

Goblet cells are gland

Gland

Epithelium

In biology and medicine, epithelium is a Biological tissue composed of cell s that line the cavities and surfaces of structures throughout the body....
cells

Cell (biology)

Mucus

Apocrine

Merocrine

Locations

They are found scattered among the epithelial lining of organs, such as the intestinal and respiratory tract

Respiratory tract

In humans the respiratory tract is the part of the anatomy that has to do with the process of Respiration .The respiratory tract is divided into 3 segments:...
s. They are found inside the trachea

Vertebrate trachea

The traceartes, or windpipe, is a tube that has an inner diameter of about 20-25 mm and a length of about 10-16 cm in humans. It commences at the larynx and bifurcates into the primary bronchus in mammals, and from the pharynx to the syrinx in birds, allowing the passage of air to the lungs....
, bronchus

Bronchus

A bronchus is a caliber of airway in the respiratory tract that conducts air into the lungs.No gas exchange takes place in this part of the lungs....
, and larger bronchioles in respiratory tract, small intestines and the colon.

They may be an indication of metaplasia

Metaplasia

Metaplasia is the reversible replacement of one Cellular differentiation cell type with another mature differentiated cell type. The change from one type of cell to another is generally caused by some sort of abnormal stimulus....
, such as in Barrett's esophagus

Barrett's esophagus

Barrett's esophagus refers to an abnormal change in the cells of the lower end of the esophagus thought to be caused by damage from chronic acid exposure, or reflux esophagitis....
.

Histology

In mucicarmine stains, deep red mucin found within goblet cell bodies.

The nuclei

Cell nucleus

In cell biology, the nucleus , also sometimes referred to as the "control center", is a membrane-enclosed organelle found in all eukaryote cell ....
of goblet cells tend to be displaced toward the basal end of the cell body,leads to intense basophilic staining.

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.

There are other cells which secrete mucus (as in the fundic glands

Fundic glands

The fundus glands are found in the Body of stomach and Fundus of the stomach.They are simple tubes, two or more of which open into a single duct....
of the stomach

Stomach

In most mammals, the stomach is a hollow muscular organ of the gastrointestinal tract involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication....
), but they are not usually called "goblet cells" because they do not have this distinctive shape.

Basal secretion

This is the normal base level secretion of mucus which is accomplished by cytoskeletal movement of secretory granules.

Stimulated secretion

Secretion may be stimulated by dust

Dust

Dust is a general name for minute solid particles with diameters less than 20 Thou . Particles in the Earth's atmosphere arise from various sources such as soil dust lifted up by wind, volcanic eruptions, and pollution....
, smoke

Smoke

File:Bling-Bling Skywriting David Shankbone.jpgSmoke is the collection of airborne solid and liquid particulates and gases emitted when a material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis, together with the quantity of air that is entrainment or otherwise mixed into the mass....
, etc.

Other stimuli include viruses, bacteria, etc.

Additional images

External links

"Slide 8: Trachea"