Which epithelium lines ducts of many glands and kidney tubules and is composed of a single layer of cube-shaped cells with round nuclei?

Which epithelium lines ducts of many glands and kidney tubules and is composed of a single layer of cube-shaped cells with round nuclei?

• A. Simple cuboidal epithelium
• B. Simple columnar epithelium
• C. Stratified squamous epithelium
• D. Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium

Answer: (A)

Understanding how epithelial tissues are organized by shape and layering helps identify them. Simple cuboidal epithelium is a single layer of cube-shaped cells with round, centrally located nuclei. This arrangement lines ducts of many glands and kidney tubules, where the compact, evenly sized cells support secretion and especially absorption (in kidney tubules, the apical surface may have microvilli to increase surface area). The other options don’t fit because they involve different shapes, multiple layers, or appearances that mimic multiple layers while not truly being a single layer of cube-shaped cells.

Understanding how epithelial tissues are organized by shape and layering helps identify them. Simple cuboidal epithelium is a single layer of cube-shaped cells with round, centrally located nuclei. This arrangement lines ducts of many glands and kidney tubules, where the compact, evenly sized cells support secretion and especially absorption (in kidney tubules, the apical surface may have microvilli to increase surface area). The other options don’t fit because they involve different shapes, multiple layers, or appearances that mimic multiple layers while not truly being a single layer of cube-shaped cells.