Histopathological abnormality Squamous metaplasia 2025-10-26T12:34:17Z Metaplasia is the replacement of one differentiated somatic cell type with another differentiated somatic cell type in the same tissue. Typically, metaplasia is triggered by environmental stimuli, which may act in concert with the deleterious effects of microorganisms and inflammation. Metaplasia of an epithelium (normally a unilayer of cuboidal or columnar cells) with squamous epithelium (squamous means scale-like). Metaplastic squamous epithelium becomes stratified (i.e., has multiple layers).