The cells of pavement epithelium when viewed from the surface appear ___ in shape

Options

A. Polygonal
B. Cuboidal
C. Columnar
D. Ovoid

Answer

To answer the question about the shape of the cells of pavement epithelium when viewed from the surface, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Definition of Pavement Epithelium**:
- Pavement epithelium is another name for simple squamous epithelium, which consists of a single layer of flat cells.

2. **Identify the Characteristics of Simple Squamous Epithelium**:
- The cells are compactly arranged and flattened, resembling tiles or pavement.

3. **Visualize the Cells from the Surface**:
- When viewed from the surface, the flattened cells of the pavement epithelium do not maintain a uniform shape. Instead, they have irregular boundaries.

4. **Determine the Shape of the Cells**:
- Given their flattened and irregular nature, when viewed from above, these cells appear polygonal in shape.

5. **Conclude the Answer**:
- Therefore, the cells of pavement epithelium, when viewed from the surface, appear **polygonal** in shape.

### Final Answer:
The cells of pavement epithelium when viewed from the surface appear **polygonal** in shape.