simple squamous epithelium consists of one layer of thin, flat, scale-like cells. In the preparation you are studying, has the tissue been cut and mounted so that you are looking at a cross section or longitudinal section?
Based on the description given, it is likely that the tissue has been cut and mounted so that it is being observed in a cross section. This is because a cross section would provide a view of the tissue in a perpendicular plane, allowing for a clear visualization of the thin, flat cells arranged in a single layer. In contrast, a longitudinal section would show the tissue in a parallel plane, and it would be more difficult to clearly observe the flat nature of the cells.
