Suppose, due to an accident, the delicate lining of the mouth and the oesophagus of a person is injured. In this case, which one of the following tissues will be affected ?

The delicate lining of the mouth and the oesophagus is composed of squamous epithelium. Specifically, the oral cavity is covered by a stratified squamous epithelium, which can be keratinized in areas of high mechanical stress like the hard palate or non-keratinized in mobile areas like the cheeks and floor of the mouth [3]. Similarly, the oesophagus is lined with a non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium that protects the underlying tissues from abrasion during the passage of food [5]. While the walls of the oesophagus contain smooth and striated muscles to facilitate peristaltic movements [5], the 'delicate lining' refers specifically to the mucosal epithelial layer. Cuboidal epithelium is typically found in gland ducts and kidney tubules rather than the primary lining of the alimentary canal's upper tract. Therefore, an injury to this lining directly affects the squamous epithelium.

Sources

1. [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratified_squamous_epithelium
2. [2] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: The Invisible Living World: Beyond Our Naked Eye > 2.1.1 Variation in shape and structure of cells > p. 14
3. [5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/esophagus-mucosa
4. [1] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Life Processes > Activity 5.3 > p. 85