General Pathology,

Histopathologic and
Cytologic Techniques
Basic Histology
 Histology
- ‘histo’ meaning ‘tissue’ or ‘web’ in Greek
- study of the microscopic structures of cells and tissues of plants and
animals
Cells become arranged in 3 germ layers:
1. ectoderm (outermost)
2. mesoderm (middle layer)
3. endoderm (innermost)
 Four categories of tissues:
1. Epithelial Tissues
2. Connective Tissues
3. Muscular Tissues
4. Nervous Tissues
 I. Epithelial Tissues
A. Covering epithelia
According to cellular arrangement
I. SIMPLE – monolayer of cells
II. PSEUDOSTRATIFIED – cells rest on common basement membrane
III. STRATIFIED – many layers of cells
According to cellular shapes
I. SQUAMOUS – flattened cells
II. CUBOIDAL – cube-like cells
III. COLUMNAR – cells taller than they are wide
IV. TRANSITIONAL – cells that change shape when epithelium is stretched
1. SIMPLE SQUAMOUS – endothelium ( blood vessels),
mesothelium ( peritoneum & pleura)
2. SIMPLE CUBOIDAL – distal tubule, ducts in some glands
3. SIMPLE COLUMNAR – stomach, intestine, excretory ducts in
some glands
4. STRATIFIED SQUAMOUS (nonkeratinized) – esophagus,
vagina, mouth, vocal chords
5. STRATIFIED CUBOIDAL – sweat glands
6. STRATIFIED COLUMNAR – large excretory ducts, cavernous
urethra
7. TRANSITIONAL – urinary passages
8. PSEUDOSTRATIFIED COLUMNAR – trachea, primary
bronchi, nasal cavity
B. Glandular epithelia
1. Exocrine glands – secrete into a duct or onto a surface
2. Endocrine glands – highly vascular and discharge into blood
vessels
Methods of Secretions of Glands:
• Merocrine – no loss of cytoplasm
• Apocrine – with cytoplasmic loss
• Holocrine – complete breakdown of secretory cell
 II.Connective Tissues
- Supports and forms the framework of all parts of the body
COLLAGEN – major ingredient in all connective tissues
Collagen Stains:
 Van Gieson’s stain  Mallory’s Aniline Blue
 Krajian’s Aniline Blue  Masson’s Trichrome
• Azocarmine stain
A. General connective tissues
• Loose connective tissue – ex. Wharton’s jelly, bone marrow,
embryo, hypodermis (fats)
• Dense connective tissue – ex. Dermis, capsules of organs, tendons,
stroma of cornea
B. Special connective tissues
• Cartilage – hyaline, fibrous (intervertebral discs), elastic (external
ear, epiglottis)
• Bone
• Blood
• Lymph
• Hematopoietic tissues
Pathologic Changes & Deposits Found in Connective Tissues
1. Fibrin – results from enzymatic coagulation of plasma proteins
– tissue damage, blood clots, & acute inflammation rxns
2. Fibrinoid – identical rxns to fibrin
– mixture of exudate and altered cytoplasmic constituents
– collagen diseases, hypersensitivity, SLE, and rheumatic
heart disease
3. Hyalin – degenerated collagen, hypertension, atheroma & diabetic
kidney
4. Amyloid – TB, leprosy, osteomyelitis
– connective tissue cells, kidneys, spleen, adrenals, lymph
nodes and pancreas
 III.Muscle Tissues
- specialized for producing movements
1. Smooth (involuntary) – found in intestinal tracts and blood
vessels
2. Striated (voluntary) – found in skeletal muscles
3. Cardiac (striated but involuntary) – heart
IV.Nervous Tissues
- collect stimuli from the environment
1. Central Nervous System – brain and spinal cord
2. Peripheral Nervous System – peripheral nerves
Basic Histopathology
 I. Inflammation
- protective response of the tissues of the body to irritation or injury
- Composed of a series of physiologic and morphologic changes in the
blood vessels, blood components and surrounding connective tissues
for the purpose of protecting the body against injury
 5 Cardinal Signs of Inflammation
1. Rubor – redness
– due to arteriolar and capillary dilation w/ increased rate of
blood flow towards the site of injury
2. Tumor – swelling
– due to increased capillary permeability  causing
extravasation of blood fluid
3. Calor – heat
– due to transfer of internal heat to the surface or site of injury,
brought about by increased blood content
4. Dolor – pain
– due to pressure upon the sensory nerve by the
exudate/tumor
5. Functio laesa – loss of function
– destruction of the functioning units of the tissue
 Classification of Inflammation:
• According to duration:
1. Acute Inflammation
- also called exudative inflammation; vascular and exudative (predominantly PMNs)
-when this fails to subside within several weeks  chronic inflammation
2. Subchronic inflammation
- represents an intergrade between acute and chronic
3. Chronic inflammation
- persistence of the injurious agent for weeks or years
II. Changes in cellular growth patterns
Classification
A. Mesenchymal/ Connective Tissue tumors

B. Epithelial Tissue tumors

Somatic Death