Carlos D. Achondo Jr.

Clinical Clerk

ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY AND DIVISIONS

Anatomic (or anatomical) pathology is the branch of medicine that studies the effect of disease
on the structure of body organs, both as a whole (grossly) and microscopically. The primary role
of anatomic pathology is to identify abnormalities that can help to diagnose disease and
manage treatment. 

https://www.yalemedicine.org/departments/anatomic-pathology

Anatomic pathology is that field of study which describes gross and microscopic anatomic
abnormalities in organisms, tissues, and cells, with the goal of diagnosing individual diseases. 

Chapter 4:  Clinical Practice: Anatomic Pathology: Pathology: A Modern Case Study:
Funkhouser, William K.

AUTOPSY PATHOLOGY

This is the anatomic examination of a deceased patient to determine what diseases were
present and how extensive they were, and to assemble these findings into an explanation for
why the patient died. Autopsy examination can answer questions family members may have
about the patient’s death, but can also increase understanding of disease for the physicians
caring for the patient.

https://www.yalemedicine.org/departments/anatomic-pathology

Autopsy pathologists make a set of gross and microscopic diagnoses on a dead patient, and
then define the causal relationship between these different diagnoses. For example, if a patient
dies in septic shock with renal failure, acute pyelonephritis, lung failure, and mental status
changes, then the logical progression of these multiple diseases is "acute pyelonephritis,
leading to septic shock and multiorgan (renal, pulmonary, and CNS) failure." 

https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=1569&sectionid=95968800

SURGICAL PATHOLOGY.

This is the examination of tissue removed as a biopsy or as part of a surgical procedure. When
a biopsy is done (typically a small sampling of a lesion by incision or by an invasive technique
like a core needle biopsy or endoscopy), the pathologist determines what disease process is
present, and/or the extent of disease

https://www.yalemedicine.org/departments/anatomic-pathology

Surgical pathologists use the same understanding of the body's normal structure/function,

knowledge of concurrent clinical and laboratory abnormalities, and ability to integrate these facts
Carlos D. Achondo Jr.
Clinical Clerk

with morphologic observations to make gross and microscopic diagnoses on living patients who
undergo surgical biopsies or resections of abnormal individual organs.

https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=1569&sectionid=95968800

CYTOLOGY

Cytology is the study of individual cells and cytopathology is the study of individual cells in
disease, although the two terms are often used interchangeably. Sampled fluid
and/or tissue from a patient is smeared onto a slide and stained (see techniques below). This is
examined under the microscope by an anatomic pathologist (cytopathologist) to look at the
number of cells on the slide, what types of cells they are, how they are grouped together, and
what the cell details are (shape, size, nucleus, etc.). This information is useful in determining
whether a disease is present and what is the likely diagnosis.

https://labtestsonline.org/articles/anatomic-pathology

This is the examination of very small amounts of tissue removed by scraping a surface, or by
aspiration through a fine needle. Obtaining a cytopathology specimen is typically less invasive
than obtaining a surgical pathology specimen, so these procedures can be performed in a clinic
or a physician’s office. Cytopathologists examine individual cells and small collections of cells to
assess for the presence or absence of malignancy.

https://www.yalemedicine.org/departments/anatomic-pathology

Cytopathologists diagnose diseases based on scant samples that typically show only cellular
features, that is, samples lacking elements of tissue architecture. These specimens include fine
needle aspirates (FNAs), scrape smears (think PAP smears), paraffin-embedded cell blocks,
and needle cores.

https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=1569&sectionid=95968800
 Carlos D. Achondo Jr.
Clinical Clerk

TYPES OF EPITHELIAL TISSUES

TISSUE TYPE LOCATION DESCRIPTIO CELLS FUNCTIO
N N
Simple Squamous Epithelium Air sacs, lining 1 layer of fatten Squamous Allows
of heart blood cells, disc epithelium passage of
vessels, lining of shaped, central cells material by
ventral body nuclei and diffusion
cavity, (serosae) sparse and filtration
cytoplasm in sites
where
protection is
not
important,
secrete
lubricating
substance in
serosae
Simple Cuboidal Epithelium Kidney tubules, 1 layer of cube Simple Secretion
ducts, small like cells, large cuboidal and
glands spherical central epithelium Absorption
nuclei cells

Simple columnar Epithelium Nonciliated: 1 layer of tall Goblet , simple Absorption,

lines digestive cells with round columnar secrete
tract, gall to oval nuclei, epithelium, mucus,
bladder, some have cilia; reproductive enzymes;
excretory ducts layers may cells ciliated
of some glands contain mucus propel
Ciliated: line secreting mucus or
small bronchi, unicellular reproductive
uterine tubes glands. cells by
some of uterus ciliary
action.
Pseudostratified Columnar Nonciliated: 1 layer of cells Pseudostratifie Secretion,
Epithelium sperm ducts of different hts, d columnar mucus
Ciliated: lines nuclei seen at epithelium propulsion
trachea and different levels by ciliary
upper may bear mucus action
respiratory tract secreting cells or
cilia.
 Carlos D. Achondo Jr.
Clinical Clerk

Stratified Squamous epithelium Nonkernatinized 2 or more layers Basal cells, Protects

: moist lining of of metabolically squamous cells underlying
esophagus, active tissue in
mouth and membrane, areas of
vagina surface cells are subjected
Kernatinized : squamous & abrasion
epidermis of deeper layers are
skin, dry cuboidal or
membranes columnar.
Keratinized are
full of keratin
and are dead.
Basal cells are
active in mitosis
produce cells of
more superficial
layers
 Carlos D. Achondo Jr.
Clinical Clerk

TISSUE TYPE LOCATION DESCRIPTION CELLS FUNCTION

Stratified Columnar Epithelium Male urethra Several cell Basal Protection &
& large ducts layers, basal cells cells, secretion
of some usually cuboidal stratified
glands superficial cells columnar
of elongated and epithelium
columnar cells

Transitional Epithelium Lines the Resembles both Basal Stretches readily

ureters stratified cells, and permits
urinary squamous and cuboidal distension of
bladder part stratified or urinary organ by
of urethra cuboidal basal columnar contained urine.
cells, cuboidal or
columnar surface
cells, dome
shaped, or
squamous like,
depending on
degree of organ
stretch

Reference:

Mescher, Anthony L.,, Anthony L Mescher, and Luiz Carlos Uchôa Junqueira.   Junqueira's Basic
Histology: Text and Atlas. Fourteenth edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2016.