Simple cuboidal epithelium is a type of

epithelium Epithelium or epithelial tissue is a thin, continuous, protective layer of cells with little extracellular matrix. An example is the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. Epithelial ( mesothelial) tissues line the outer surfaces of man ...

that consists of a single layer of cuboidal (cube-like) cells which have large, spherical and central nuclei. Simple cuboidal epithelium is found on the surface of

ovaries The ovary () is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova; when released, an ovum travels through the fallopian tube/oviduct into the uterus. There is an ovary on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries are endocr ...

, the lining of

nephron The nephron is the minute or microscopic structural and functional unit of the kidney. It is composed of a renal corpuscle and a renal tubule. The renal corpuscle consists of a tuft of capillaries called a glomerulus and a cup-shaped structu ...

s, the walls of the renal tubules, parts of the eye and thyroid, and in

salivary gland The salivary glands in many vertebrates including mammals are exocrine glands that produce saliva through a system of ducts. Humans have three paired major salivary glands ( parotid, submandibular, and sublingual), as well as hundreds of min ...

s. On these surfaces, the cells perform

secretion Secretion is the movement of material from one point to another, such as a secreted chemical substance from a cell or gland. In contrast, excretion is the removal of certain substances or waste products from a cell or organism. The classical mec ...

and filtration.

Location

Simple cuboidal cells are also found in renal tubules of nephrons, glandular ducts, and thyroid follicles. Simple cuboidal cells are found in single rows with their spherical nuclei in the center of the cells and are directly attached to the basal surface. Simple ciliated cuboidal cells are also present in the respiratory bronchioles. Germinal cuboidal epithelial lines the

and seminiferous tubules of testes. They undergo

meiosis Meiosis () is a special type of cell division of germ cells in sexually-reproducing organisms that produces the gametes, the sperm or egg cells. It involves two rounds of division that ultimately result in four cells, each with only one c ...

to form gametes.

Functions

These cells provide protection and may be active (pumping material in or out of the lumen) or passive, depending on the location and cellular specialization. Simple cuboidal epithelium commonly differentiates to form the secretory and duct portions of glands. They also constitute the germinal epithelium, which covers the ovary (but does not contribute to ovum production) and the internal walls of the seminiferous tubules in the male testes. These cells offer some protection and function in filtration and secretion.

References

External links

* "Thyroid gland" (Simple cuboidal) {{Authority control Epithelial cells