- •At a Glance
- •Preface
- •Contents
- •Cells
- •Epithelium
- •Exocrine Glands
- •Connective and Supportive Tissue
- •Muscular Tissue
- •Nerve Tissue
- •Blood Vessels, Blood and Immune System
- •Endocrine Glands
- •Digestive System
- •Respiratory System
- •Urinary Organs
- •Male Reproductive Organs
- •Female Reproductive Organs
- •Integumentary System, Skin
- •Somatosensory Receptors
- •Sensory Organs
- •Central Nervous System
- •Tables
- •Index
- •Cells
- •Epithelial Tissue
- •Exocrine Glandular Epithelium
- •Connective and Supportive Tissue
- •Muscular Tissue
- •Nerve Tissue
- •Blood Vessels, Blood and Immune System
- •Endocrine Glands
- •Digestive System
- •Respiratory System
- •Urinary Organs
- •Male Sexual Organs
- •Female Sexual Organs
- •Integumentary System, Skin
- •Somatosensory Receptors
- •Sensory Organs
- •Central Nervous System
- •Tables
- •Photographic Credits
- •Index
Tables
Table 1 Frequently used histological stains
Stain |
Mayer HE |
Heidenhain azan |
Masson-Goldner trichrome |
|
|
|
|
Staining agent |
Hematoxylin-eosin or hema- |
Azocarmine-orange |
Iron hematoxylin, Ponceau |
|
lum-erythrosin |
aniline blue G |
acid fuchsin or azophloxin-orange |
|
|
|
G, acid green G |
|
|
|
|
Cell nuclei |
Blue |
Red |
Black-brown |
|
|
|
|
Cytoplasm |
Pale red |
Reddish |
Intense dark red |
|
|
|
|
Connective tissue fibers |
|
|
|
Reticular |
– |
Blue |
Pale green |
Collagen |
Red |
Blue |
Green |
Elastic |
Soft pink |
Orange-red |
– |
Hyaline cartilage |
Pale blue, blue, violet |
Pale blue(reddish) |
Light green |
intercellular matrix |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Muscular tissue |
Red |
Red-orange |
Orange-red (brown) |
|
|
|
|
Erythrocytes |
Orange-red |
Orange-red |
Orange-yellow |
|
|
|
|
Lipids in adipocytes |
Solubilized/removed |
Solubilized/removed |
Solubilized/removed |
|
|
|
|
Table 2 Surface epithelia: classification
Epithelium |
Examples |
Single-layered (simple) squamous epithelium |
Mesothelium (serosal epithelium), endothelium (inner |
(including endothelium) |
lining of the heart as well as blood and lymph vessels), |
|
posterior corneal epithelium, epithelial labyrinth, Bow- |
|
man’s capsule, amnion epithelium |
Single-layered (simple) cuboidal epithelium |
Secretory ducts, defined segments of the renal tu- |
(isoprismatic epithelium) |
bules, plexus choroideus, anterior lens epithelium, |
|
small bile ducts |
Single-layered columnar epithelium |
|
(cylindrical epithelium) |
|
Without kinocilia |
Stomach, small intestines, large intestines, gallblad- |
|
der, hepatic ducts, papillary ducts |
With kinocilia |
Oviduct (uterine tube), uterus, ventricular ependyma |
Multilayered pseudostratified epithelium |
|
(columnar epithelium) |
|
Without kinocilia |
Segments of secretory ducts |
With kinocilia |
Nasal respiratory region, airways |
With stereocilia |
Epididymal duct, vas deferens |
Multilayered stratified squamous epithelium |
|
Nonkeratinizing |
Oral cavity, esophagus, anterior corneal epithelium, |
|
vocal fold, vagina, anus |
Keratinizing |
Epidermis, nasal vestibule, vermilion, filiform |
|
papilla |
Transitional epithelium (urothelium) |
Renal calyces, renal pelvis, ureter, urinary bladder |
|
|
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Van Gieson |
Heidenhain iron |
Weigert elastica stain |
Mann methyl blue- |
Romeis lipid stain |
|
hematoxylin |
|
eosin |
|
Iron hematoxylin- |
Tanning with iron |
Orcein or resorcin- |
Eosin-methyl blue |
Hematoxylin- |
picric acid-acid |
alum-hematoxylin |
fuchsin-nuclear fast |
|
Sudan III |
fuchsin |
|
red |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Black-brown |
Chromatin and |
Red |
Blue, nucleoli: red |
Blue |
|
nucleoli: black |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yellowish brown |
Slightly gray, gray |
– |
Violet, reddish |
Pale gray-blue |
|
|
|
|
|
– |
Gray-green, yellowish |
– |
Blue |
– |
Red |
Gray-green, yellowish |
– |
Blue |
– |
Yellow |
Yellowish, gray |
Brown-red or violet to |
Orange-red |
– |
|
|
black-blue |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Red and yellow |
Gray-grayish blue |
– |
Violet, reddish blue |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yellow |
Black |
– |
Red |
– |
|
|
|
|
|
Yellow |
Black |
– |
Red-orange |
– |
|
|
|
|
|
Solubilized/removed |
Solubilized/removed |
Solubilized/removed |
Solubilized/removed |
Orange-red |
|
|
|
|
|
Table 3 Salivary glands: attributes of serous and mucous acini in light microscopy
(after O. Bucher and H. Wartenberg, 1989)
Salivary gland |
Serous acinus |
Mucous tubule |
Total diameter |
Smaller |
Larger |
Configuration |
Acinus or serous demilunes |
Tubulus |
Lumen/clearance |
Very narrow, stellate |
Relatively wide, round |
Configuration of the nucleus |
Round |
Flattened, sickle-shaped |
Positioning of the nucleus |
Basal |
Basal, peripheral |
Cytoplasm |
Granulated apical region, |
Light, honeycomb structure |
|
secretory granules |
|
Cell borders |
Diffuse |
Clearly visible |
Terminal bars |
Rarely visible |
Present, usually visible |
(junctional complexes) |
|
|
Secretory ducts |
Intercellular |
Absent |
|
|
|
Tables
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Table 4 Seromucous (mixed) salivary glands and lacrimal gland: morphological attributes
Glands |
Acini |
Intermediary |
Secretory ducts |
Other attributes |
|
|
ducts |
|
|
Parotid gland |
Acinar, purely serous, |
200–300 μm |
Well-formed, in- |
Stroma often contains |
|
narrow lumen |
long, multiple |
tralobular, bran- |
adipocytes, abundant |
|
|
levels of branch- |
ched |
nerves |
|
|
ing |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Submandibu- |
Tubuloacinar, mixed |
Some ducts are |
Well-formed, in- |
Areas with purely serous |
lar gland |
seromucous, predomi- |
short and un- |
tralobular, bran- |
acini |
|
nantly serous, mucous |
branched, |
ched |
|
|
tubules with serous de- |
others are long |
|
|
|
milunes |
and branched |
|
|
Sublingual |
Tubuloacinar, mixed |
Rarely present |
Very short se- |
gland |
seromucous, predomi- |
|
cretory ducts |
|
nantly mucous, branched |
|
|
|
mucous tubules with |
|
|
|
serous demilunes |
|
|
Areas with purely mucous acini, lobed intermediary ducts filled with mucus
Pancreas |
Acinar, purely serous |
Well-formed |
Absent |
Endocrine glands: Lan- |
|
with central acinar cells, |
|
|
gerhans islets (may be |
|
small myoepithelial cells |
|
|
absent in the pancreatic |
|
|
|
|
head), few adipocytes |
|
|
|
|
|
Lacrimal gland Serous, branched tu- |
Absent |
Absent |
Abundant connective |
|
|
bules, wide lumen |
|
|
tissue stroma with many |
|
|
|
|
free cells (lymphocytes |
|
|
|
|
and plasma cells |
Tables
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Table 5 Connective tissue fibers: morphological attributes
Type of fiber |
Collagen fibers |
Elastic fibers |
Reticular fibers |
Arrangement |
Fiber bundles, weaves of |
Fiber networks, fenes- |
Very delicate webs, matrix |
|
various types of networks, |
trated membranes, iso- |
fibers at interfaces—e.g., be- |
|
variable mesh sizes, thick- |
lated fibers, web lamel- |
tween parenchymal cells and |
|
ness: 1–12 μm |
lae. thickness: up to |
connective tissue, basal |
|
|
18 μm |
membrane, thickness: |
|
|
|
0.2–1.0 μm |
Structure in light |
Anisotropic fibers (no light |
Isotropic (strongly light- |
Thinner fibers, weak aniso- |
microscopy |
refraction observed), with |
refracting) fibers, homo- |
tropy; thinner fibers are |
|
cross-striation, not argyro- |
geneous, anisotropic |
clearly visible only after silver |
|
philic |
stretched fibers, not ar- |
impregnation (argyrophilic |
|
|
gyrophilic |
fibers); positive PAS |
|
|
|
reaction |
|
|
|
|
Structure in electron |
Fibrils—microfibril |
Microfibrils—diameters |
Same as collagen fibrils, re- |
microscopy |
bundles, microfibrils built |
are 10–14 nm, or amor- |
ticular microfibrils are about |
|
from primary filaments, |
phous elastin; no perio- |
50 nm thick |
|
cross-striation of the |
dicity |
|
|
microfibrils with a perio- |
|
|
|
dicity of 64 nm |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mechanical |
Fibers have tensile strength |
Reversibly expandable by |
Moderately expandable |
attributes |
but do not stretch |
100–150% |
|
|
|
|
|
Chemical |
|
|
|
attributes |
|
|
|
Effect of weak |
Swelling |
No swelling |
Slight swelling |
acids |
|
|
|
Effect of weak |
Decomposition |
Resistant |
Low degree of |
alkali |
|
|
decomposition |
Effect of boiling |
Soluble, forms a glue |
Insoluble |
Insoluble |
water |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tables
505
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Table 6 Biological “fibers”: nomenclature
Connective tissue fibers |
specific structured constituents of the intercellular |
|
matrix |
Collagen fibers |
Collagen fibers are birefringent in polarized light. They form fascicles (fas- |
|
ciculi collagenosi). When boiled in water, they form glue, such as bone glue. |
|
Collagen fibers occur in all connective and supportive tissue |
|
|
Reticular fibers |
Structured constituents of the intercellular matrix in reticular connective |
|
tissue, positive PAS reaction |
|
|
Argyrophilic fibers |
Thinner reticular fibers, which can only be seen using the silver impregnation |
|
technique, delicate matrix fibers, for example |
|
|
Elastic fibers |
Shiny fibers, strongly refract light in unstained preparations; the fibers branch |
|
and form meshworks, web lamellae and elastic membranes, contain elastin |
|
and microfibrils about 12 nm thick |
|
|
Sharpey fibers |
Collagen fibers, which radiate from the periosteum into the bony tissue, they |
|
secure the attachment of tendons, bands and periosteum to the skeleton |
|
|
Tomes fibers |
Processes of odontoblasts that are located in the dentine canaliculi (dentine |
|
fibers), also cellular structures |
|
|
Lens fibers |
Lens epithelial cells that have grown longitudinally and lost their nuclei; |
|
lens fibers can be up to 10 mm long. They are the major components of the |
|
lens |
|
|
Glial fibers |
Processes of certain macroglial cells |
|
|
Nerve fibers |
Processes of nerve cells—i.e., axons and their sheaths (oligodendrocytes |
|
for central nervous system fibers, Schwann cells for peripheral nerve |
|
fibers) |
|
|
Smooth muscle fibers |
Muscle cells or bundles often are erroneously called muscle fibers |
|
|
Striated muscle fibers |
Smallest building units of the skeletal musculature, multinucleated tubular |
(skeletal muscle fibers) |
syncytia |
|
|
Heart muscle fibers |
Incorrect name for heart muscle cells; often also used for a strand (cord) of |
|
apposed heart muscle cells |
|
|
Purkinje fibers |
Subendocardial termini of the nervous system of the heart, specific muscle |
|
cells |
|
|
Tables
506
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Table 7 Exocrine glands: principles of classification (after Sobotta/Hammersen, 2000)
Morphological |
Classification |
Examples |
|
criteria |
|
|
|
Number of secretory |
Unicellular glands, multicellular glands |
Goblet cells |
|
cells |
|
|
Salivary glands |
|
|
|
|
Localization of the |
Intraepithelial (endoepithelial) |
Goblet cells |
|
secretory cells |
glands |
Olfactory glands |
|
|
– |
Unicellular glands |
All large exocrine glands |
|
– |
Multicellular glands |
|
|
– |
Extraepithelial (exoepithelial) |
|
|
|
glands |
|
|
|
|
|
Mode of secretion |
Eccrine |
Salivary gland, pancreas, lacrimal gland |
|
|
Apocrine |
mammary gland, prostate gland, olfac- |
|
|
|
|
tory gland |
|
|
|
|
Type of secretory |
Holocrine |
sebaceous glands, parotid gland, pan- |
|
product |
Serous – serous glands |
creas, lacrimal gland, goblet cells, car- |
|
|
Mucous – mucous glands |
diac glands, pyloric glands, duodenal |
|
|
Mucoid – mucoid glands |
glands, vestibular gland, urethral glands |
|
|
|
|
|
Shape of the acini |
Tubular glands |
Intestinal glands (mostly branched tu- |
|
|
|
|
bules), glands of the colon (colon |
|
|
|
crypts), uterine glands, eccrine and apo- |
|
|
|
crine sweat glands (if the tubules are |
|
|
|
coiled: coiled glands) |
|
Acinar glands |
Parotid gland, pancreas |
|
|
Alveolar glands |
Scent glands |
|
|
Tubuloacinar glands |
Lacrimal glands, submandibular glands, |
|
|
|
|
sublingual glands |
|
Tubuloalveolar glands |
Mammary glands, prostate gland |
|
|
|
|
|
Presence and morpho- |
– Simple glands: each acinus ends sep- |
Sweat glands |
|
logy of secretory ducts |
|
arately on the epithelial surface |
Pyloric glands |
|
– Branched glands: glands with several |
All large salivary glands |
|
|
|
levels of branching; several acini con- |
|
|
|
nect to an unbranched secretory duct |
|
|
– Mixed (seromucous) glands: the elab- |
|
orately branched secretory ducts end in one acinus
Tables
507
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Table 8 Muscle tissue: distinctive morphological features
Muscle |
Smooth musculature |
Skeletal musculature |
|
Heart musculature |
tissue |
|
|
|
|
Com- |
Thin, spindle-shaped |
Type I fibers (red |
Type II fibers (white |
Cell (cell territory be- |
ponents |
single cells |
fibers) |
fibers) |
tween intercalated disks) |
|
|
|
|
|
Nuclei per |
One nucleus, length: |
Many hundred nuclei, |
Many hundred nu- |
One or two nuclei, length: |
cell |
8–25μm |
length: 5–16 μm |
clei, length: |
10 12μm |
|
|
|
5–16 μm |
|
Shape and |
Oval, rod-shaped to |
Long, flat, peripheral, |
Long, flat, periphe- |
Plump, round to oval, |
position of |
elliptic, central |
underneath the sarco- |
ral, underneath the |
often lentil-shaped nu- |
nuclei |
|
lemma |
sarcolemma |
clei, central with fibril- |
|
|
|
|
free cytocenter |
|
|
|
|
|
Length of |
40–200 μm, up to |
Up to 40 cm |
Up to 40 cm |
50–150 μm |
compo- |
800 μm in the uterus |
|
|
|
nents |
during pregnancy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diameter |
5–15 μm |
10–50 μm |
80–100 μm |
10–120 μm |
of compo- |
|
|
|
|
nents |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other |
Longitudinal section: |
Longitudinal section: |
Less capillarization, |
Components form web- |
features |
cells occur in slightly |
striation; cross-sec- |
fewer mitochon- |
like structures (heart |
|
undulating bundles; |
tion: myofibril mo- |
dria, thin Z disks |
muscle fibers); cross-sec- |
|
cross-section: nuclei |
saics, dense capillariz- |
|
tion: myofibril mosaic, en- |
|
are not sectioned in |
ation, many mito- |
|
doplasm, fibril-free cy- |
|
every cell, no myofi- |
chondria, wide Z disks |
|
tocenters, lipofuscin in- |
|
bril mosaics |
|
|
clusions |
|
|
|
|
|
Tables
508
Table 9 Stomach: differential diagnosis of the various segments of the stomach. Gastric areas (raised areas) and foveolae of variable depth with uniform prismatic epithelial cells up to 40 μm high are found in all segments of the stomach. These epithelial cells produce the gastric
mucus (not goblet cells). There are also smooth muscle layers with the form and organization that are characteristic of the intestinal canal. However, oblique fibers (inner face) are also present
Stomach |
Cardiac portion with |
Body and fundus of the stomach |
Pyloric portion of the stomach |
segment |
cardial glands |
with gastric glands |
with pyloric glands |
Gastric |
Relatively deep foveolae, |
Short foveolae: long, relatively |
Deep foveolae: short, winding |
glands |
elaborately branched tu- |
stretched tubules, mostly un- |
tubules with wide lumina and |
|
bules with an irregular ap- |
branched, but bifurcated at the |
branched termini, on average |
|
pearance, often distended |
fundus, narrow lumen |
not quite so densely packed |
|
to ampulla, loosely struc- |
|
|
|
tured |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unicellular |
Homocrine glands (one |
Homocrine glands (secreting |
Homocrine, mucus-producing |
glands |
secretory product = |
mucus, exclusively) in the foveo- |
gland cells, sporadic endocrine |
|
mucus), sporadic endo- |
lae, heterocrine glands in the tu- |
cells |
|
crine cells |
bules, 3 different cell types: mu- |
|
|
|
cous neck cells, {chief) peptic |
|
|
|
cells and parietal cells |
|
|
|
|
|
Special |
Lamina propria recessed |
Lymph follicles are absent, but |
Cell-rich lamina propria in the |
morpho- |
against the gastric glands, |
many free cells between gland |
upper two-thirds of the mu- |
logical fea- sporadic lymph follicles |
tubules |
cous membrane; between |
|
tures |
|
|
fundus and pylorus, there is an |
|
|
|
intermediary layer about 1 cm |
|
|
|
wide, with transitional forms of |
|
|
|
gastric and pyloric glands |
|
|
|
|
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Table 10 Intestines: differential diagnosis of the segments
Intestinal |
Plicae |
Intestinal villi |
Intestinal crypts |
Goblet cells |
Special morphological |
segment |
circulares |
|
|
|
features |
Duodenum |
Tall, wide |
Dense, large |
200–400 μm deep |
Present |
Mucoid duodenal glands |
|
circular |
plump villi |
tubular epithelial |
|
(Brunner glands) in the sub- |
|
plicae (circu- |
|
cells (Lieberkühn |
|
mucosal tissue, including |
|
lar folds) |
|
crypts = intestinal |
|
plicae; there are small |
|
|
|
glands |
|
groups of Paneth cells |
|
|
|
|
|
at the fundus of the |
|
|
|
|
|
crypts. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jejunum |
High, slen- |
Long, slen- |
Same as for the |
Present |
Increased presence of Pa- |
|
der, circular |
der villi |
duodenum |
|
neth cells |
|
plicae |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ileum |
Short circu- |
Short, less |
Deep crypts |
Present |
Increased presence of Pa- |
|
lar plicae, |
dense villi |
|
|
neth cells at the fundus of |
|
may be ab- |
|
|
|
crypts, lymphatic nodules |
|
sent |
|
|
|
opposite the adjoining |
|
|
|
|
|
mesentery branch (only |
|
|
|
|
|
visible in suitably cut prep- |
|
|
|
|
|
arations) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colon |
Rarely pres- |
Absent |
Dense population |
Very |
Hardly any Paneth cells any |
|
ent, but |
|
of deep crypts |
abundant |
more; mitotic cells at the |
|
semilunar |
|
(colon glands); |
|
fundus of the crypts. The |
|
plicae |
|
their depth in- |
|
outer external tunica mus- |
|
|
|
creases closer to |
|
cularis forms three tenia in |
|
|
|
the anus |
|
the colon, plicae semilu- |
|
|
|
|
|
nares. Solitary lymphatic |
|
|
|
|
|
nodes break through the |
|
|
|
|
|
lamina muscularis mucosae; |
|
|
|
|
|
subserous lipid inclusions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vermiform |
Absent |
Absent |
Present, but absent |
Abundant |
Much smaller than the other |
appendix |
|
|
in some areas |
|
intestinal segments, many |
|
|
|
|
|
lymphatic nodules (intesti- |
|
|
|
|
|
nal tonsils) in the tunica |
|
|
|
|
|
propria, which push |
|
|
|
|
|
through the lamina muscu- |
|
|
|
|
|
laris mucosae and often ex- |
|
|
|
|
|
tend to the inner circular |
|
|
|
|
|
muscle layer; mesenterio- |
|
|
|
|
|
lum |
Rectum |
Absent |
Absent |
400–800 μm, less |
Copious |
|
|
|
dense population of |
numbers |
|
|
|
deep crypts |
|
Many solitary lymphatic nodules; the peritoneal lining is usually absent, in its place there is a tunica adventitia
Tables
509
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Table 11 Kidney: tubules and their light microscopic characteristics
Part of the |
Diameter |
Epithelial cells |
Cell nucleus |
Affinity to stains |
Basal striation |
duct |
|
|
|
|
|
Proximal tubule |
50–60 μm |
Pars convoluta: |
Spherical, close |
Strongly acido- |
Pars convoluta: |
|
|
cuboidal, dif- |
to the basal part |
philic, diffuse |
well developed |
|
|
fusely delimited |
of the cell at dif- |
|
pars recta: well |
|
|
surface, tall |
ferent distances |
|
developed, de- |
|
|
brush border, |
from the base |
|
creases toward |
|
|
cell borders |
|
|
the interme- |
|
|
usually not visible |
|
|
diary tubules |
|
|
pars recta: very |
|
|
|
|
|
tall brush |
|
|
|
|
|
border |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Intermediary tu- |
10–15 μm, |
Extremely flat, |
Lentil-shaped, |
Light, neutro- |
Absent |
bule, descending |
relatively |
cell nuclei bulge |
nuclei bulge into |
philic, sometimes |
|
and ascending |
wide lumen |
underneath the |
the lumen |
lipofuscin inclu- |
|
limbs |
|
surface, cell bor- |
(more nuclei |
sions |
|
|
|
ders not dis- |
than in blood |
|
|
|
|
tinctly visible |
vessels) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distal tubule |
Pars recta: |
Lower than in |
Pars recta: |
Clearly stained, |
Well developed |
|
25–35 μm; |
the proximal |
spherical to len- |
acidophilic; how- |
|
|
pars convo- |
tubules; no brush |
til-shaped; pars |
ever, lighter than |
|
|
luta: |
border, therefore |
convoluta: nu- |
in the proximal |
|
|
40–45 μm |
surface sharply |
clei in a more |
tubule |
|
|
|
delimited. |
apical position |
|
|
|
|
Note: macula |
|
|
|
|
|
densa |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Connecting |
Approx. 25μm |
Cuboidal, surface |
Spherical |
Light |
Absent |
tubule |
|
is sharply |
|
|
|
|
|
delimited, sharp |
|
|
|
|
|
cell borders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Collecting tubule |
40–200 μm |
Ranging from |
Spherical |
Light, |
Absent |
system, cortical |
|
cuboidal to col- |
|
neutrophilic |
|
and medullary |
|
umnar, often |
|
|
|
collecting ducts |
|
slightly convex, |
|
|
|
|
|
very distinct |
|
|
|
|
|
regular cell bor- |
|
|
|
|
|
ders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Papillary ducts |
200–300 μm |
Columnar, |
Spherical |
Light, |
Absent |
|
|
sharply delimited |
|
neutrophilic |
|
|
|
surface, distinct |
|
|
|
|
|
cell borders |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tables
510
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Table 12 Trachea and bronchial tree: morphological characteristics
Segment |
Epithelial lining |
Glands |
Smooth musculature |
Cartilage |
Trachea (diameter: |
Multilayered ciliated |
Seromucous tra- |
Tracheal muscle in the |
Horseshoe-shaped |
16–21 mm) and |
columnar epithe- |
cheal glands, pre- |
membranous wall |
hyaline tracheal |
principal bronchi |
lium with unicellular |
dominantly be- |
|
cartilage |
(diameter: |
endoepithelial |
tween tracheal car- |
|
|
12–14 mm) |
glands (= goblet |
tilage and in mem- |
|
|
|
cells) |
branous walls |
|
|
|
|
(paries) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lobar bronchi |
Multilayered ciliated |
Seromucous bron- |
Cartilaginous tunica |
At first residual |
(diameter: |
columnar epithe- |
chial glands, pre- |
muscularis |
hyaline cartilage of |
8–12 mm) and |
lium with many go- |
dominantly in the |
|
irregular appear- |
segmental bronchi |
blet cells |
cartilaginous |
|
ance and organiza- |
(diameter: |
|
tunica muscularis |
|
tion, then cartil- |
2–6 mm) |
|
|
|
age; elastic cartil- |
|
|
|
|
age in the smaller |
|
|
|
|
bronchi |
|
|
|
|
|
Bronchioles |
Single-layered cil- |
Still sporadic sero- |
Tunica muscularis |
Absent |
(diameter: |
iated cuboidal epi- |
mucous (mixed) |
|
|
0.3–0.6 mm) |
thelium without go- |
glands |
|
|
|
blet cells |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Respiratory bron- |
Single-layered cu- |
Absent |
Tunica muscularis |
Absent |
chioles (diameter: |
boidal epithelium |
|
|
|
0.25–0.5 mm) |
without cilia; no go- |
|
|
|
|
blet cells |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alveolar ductules |
Single-layered |
Absent |
Smooth muscle |
Absent |
(diameter: |
cuboidal epithelium |
|
cells in the basal rings |
|
0.2–0.4 mm) |
of gradually |
|
around the |
|
|
decreasing |
|
alveolar opening |
|
|
height |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alveoli |
Single-layered squa- |
Absent |
Absent (only elastic |
Absent |
|
mous epithelium; al- |
|
and reticular struc- |
|
|
veolar epithelial |
|
tures remain) |
|
|
cells type I and II, al- |
|
|
|
|
veolar phagocytes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tables
511
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Tables
512
Table 13 Lymphatic organs: distinctive morphological features
Organ |
Capsule and con- |
Parenchyma |
Characteristic vessels |
Other features |
|
nective tissue |
|
|
|
|
septa |
|
|
|
Lymph nodes |
Well developed, |
Lymphoreticular, com- |
Afferent vessel, mar- |
Surrounded by loosely |
|
clearly visible |
pact cortex with lymph |
ginal sinus, interme- |
organized connective |
|
trabeculae |
follicles, lighter me- |
diary sinus, medullary |
tissue and adipose |
|
|
dulla with medullary |
sinus, efferent vessel; |
tissue; lymph vessels |
|
|
cords |
in the lumina of all |
with valves often exist |
|
|
|
sinuses: a bow-net |
in the vicinity; no sur- |
|
|
|
(weir) system of re- |
face epithelium |
|
|
|
ticular fibers and re- |
|
|
|
|
ticular cells, no blood |
|
|
|
|
cells |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spleen |
Very well de- |
Lymph nodes and lym- |
Characteristic blood |
Single-layered flat peri- |
|
veloped, strong, |
phoreticular sheaths |
vessels (laminar |
toneal epithelium |
|
strong trabeculae |
around the central ar- |
vessels, central artery, |
forms a sheath around |
|
|
tery = white pulp. The |
penicillary arteriolae, |
the capsule |
|
|
red pulp is not part of |
splenic sinus with |
|
|
|
the lymphatic system |
gaps, muscle-free |
|
|
|
|
pulp and laminar |
|
|
|
|
veins); blood cells in |
|
|
|
|
the lumen of the |
|
|
|
|
splenic sinus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tonsils |
|
|
|
Palatine ton- |
Well-developed, |
Lymphoreticular nodes |
– |
sils |
weak trabeculae |
(lymph follicles) sur- |
|
|
|
round 10–15 bran- |
|
|
|
ched, narrow epithelial |
|
|
|
invaginations (fossulae |
|
|
|
tonsillares with tonsil- |
|
|
|
lar crypts) |
|
Pharyngeal |
Not well-de- |
Lymphoreticular nodes |
– |
tonsils |
veloped, thin |
(lymph follicles) sur- |
|
|
|
round wide epithelial |
|
|
|
folds and epithelial in- |
|
|
|
vaginations |
|
Lingual ton- |
Not well de- |
Lymphoreticular nodes |
– |
sils |
veloped, thin, no |
(lymph follicles) sur- |
|
(= all lingual |
trabeculae |
round solitary epithe- |
|
follicles) |
|
lial pits |
|
Multilayered nonkeratinizing squamous epithelium, interspersed with lymphocytes inside the invaginations and crypts; in the vicinity, but outside the capsule, there are small mucous glands, which normally do not end in the epithelial invaginations; bulging shape, multilayered ciliated epithelium with goblet cells; mixed (seromucous) glands end in the epithelial invaginations; multilayered nonkeratinizing squamous epithelium; mucous glands end in the epithelial invaginations; basic lingual tissue, striated lingual musculature
Thymus |
Well-developed, |
Lymphoepithelial; no |
– |
Involution after pub- |
|
partitioning into |
lymph follicles; denser |
|
erty; adipose tissue |
|
lobes by connec- |
cortex, more loosely |
|
gradually replaces the |
|
tive tissue septa |
organized medulla |
|
parenchyma; in senes- |
|
|
with interspersed lym- |
|
cence: adipose tissue |
|
|
phocytes; epithelial |
|
with parenchyma islets |
|
|
Hassall bodies in the |
|
|
|
|
medulla |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Table 14 Hollow organs: differential diagnosis of hollow organs (ducts) with stellate or round openings
Organ |
Epithelium |
Glands |
Musculature |
Special features |
Eso- |
Multilayered nonkerati- |
Branched, tubuLamina muscularis muco- |
Layered structure like in |
|
phagus |
nizing squamous epi- |
lar mucous |
sae; tunica muscularis, |
the entire intestinal tract; |
|
thelium |
glands (esoph- |
defined by inner circular |
clearly defined lamina |
|
|
ageal glands) in |
muscle fibers and outer lon- |
muscularis mucosae |
|
|
the submucosal |
gitudinal muscle fibers; stri- |
|
|
|
tissue |
ated muscle fibers in the |
|
|
|
|
upper third |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ureter |
Transitional epithelium |
None |
Strong tunica muscularis, |
Muscle layers often not |
|
(urothelium) |
|
three-layered: inner and |
clearly defined, less com- |
|
|
|
outer (weak) longitudinal |
pact, copious inter- |
|
|
|
muscle fibers and a medium |
spersed connective |
|
|
|
layer of (strong) circular |
tissue |
|
|
|
muscle fibers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Urethra |
Female urethra: transi- |
Urethral glands |
Inner longitudinal and outer |
Female urethra: muscular |
|
tional epithelium, multi- |
and urethral la- |
circular muscle fibers, in |
stratum spongiosum ure- |
|
layered nonkeratinizing |
cunae; endothesome cases, striated muscle |
thrae. |
|
|
squamous epithelium |
lial mucous |
fibers of the urethral pelvis |
Male urethra: tunica |
|
toward the vestibular |
glands and go- |
|
muscularis connects with |
|
opening. |
blet cells |
|
the smooth musculature |
|
Male urethra: transi- |
|
|
of the prostate gland; |
|
tional epithelium up to |
|
|
wide, muscle-free veins |
|
the pars prostatica, |
|
|
of the lamina propria |
|
then multilayered, cu- |
|
|
|
|
boidal epithelium; fossa |
|
|
|
|
navicularis with multi- |
|
|
|
|
layered nonkeratinizing |
|
|
|
|
squamous epithelium |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vas |
Two-layered columnar |
None |
Tunica muscularis with a |
Lamina propria is rich in |
deferens |
epithelium with stereo- |
|
diameter of 1.0–1.5 mm, |
elastic fibers; often, the |
|
cilia |
|
particularly thick; three- |
entire spermatic cord is |
|
|
|
layered helical structure: |
also sectioned |
|
|
|
inner and outer longitudinal |
|
|
|
|
muscle layers, intermediary |
|
|
|
|
circular muscle layer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oviduct |
Single-layered columnar |
None |
Tunica muscularis is rela- |
Elaborate folding of the |
|
epithelium with brush |
|
tively thin, double-layered, |
mucous membrane in |
|
border and goblet cells |
|
outer longitudinal muscle |
the ampulla; strong |
|
|
|
fibers, stronger inner circu- |
muscle fibers in the is- |
|
|
|
lar layer; often also a longi- |
thmus, only flat residual |
|
|
|
tudinal inner layer of muscle |
mucous membrane folds |
|
|
|
fibers (cells) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vermi- |
Single-layered columnar |
Crypts |
Thin lamina muscularis mu- |
Many lymph follicles in |
form ap- epithelium with brush |
|
cosae; tunica muscularis |
the lamina propria push |
|
pendix |
border and goblet cells |
|
with inner circular muscle |
through the lamina mus- |
|
|
|
layer and outer longitudinal |
cularis mucosae; serosa |
|
|
|
muscle fibers |
and meso-appendix |
|
|
|
|
|
Gallblad- |
Single-layered columnar |
Goblet cells and |
Tunica muscularis is more |
Irregularly shaped mu- |
der |
epithelium with short |
mucous glands |
loosely structured, web-like |
cous membrane folds, |
|
rod-like microvilli and |
only after stimu- |
|
formation of Luschka’s |
|
junctional complexes |
lation by inflam- |
|
ducts |
|
(terminal bars) |
matory pro- |
|
|
|
|
cesses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bile duct |
Single-layered columnar |
Tubular coiled |
Muscle cells arranged in a |
Strong musculature at |
|
epithelium |
glands |
braid-like configuration, |
the opening clearance to |
|
|
|
mostly circular muscles |
the second part of duo- |
|
|
|
|
denum, sphincter of |
|
|
|
|
Oddi |
|
|
|
|
|
Tables
513
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Table 15 Alveolar glands and “gland-like” organs: differential diagnosis
Organ |
Formation of lobes |
Acini – mucous membrane – |
|
|
epithelium – duct systems |
|
|
|
Prostate gland |
Marginally developed; outer |
|
periurethral zone, inner and |
|
outer zone |
30–50 tubuloalveolar glands with wide lumina; raised epithelial areas and invaginations; cuboidal epithelium as well as single or double-layered columnar epithelium; 15–30 secretory ducts end on the seminal colliculus and in the surrounding urethra, prostatic ducts
Efferent ductules of |
8–12 efferent ductules form a |
the testis |
conical lobe |
Raised surface areas and pits create an undulating surface in the lumen; cuboidal epithelium in the base of the pits, multilayered columnar epithelium with kinocilia and/or microvilli (brush border) on the upper raised portions; the efferent ductules wind strongly and end in the vas deferens
Seminal vesicle |
Only apparently partitioned |
About 15 cm long coiled duct; bizarre relief of sur- |
|
into lobes |
face folds with primary, secondary and tertiary folds |
|
|
and invaginations (alveoli) with wide lumina; single or |
|
|
double-layered columnar epithelium; secretory duct |
|
|
|
Bulbourethral |
Barely expressed |
Branched tubular glands with invaginations, sometimes |
glands(Cowper’s |
|
alveolar acini; single-layered cuboidal to columnar epi- |
glands) |
|
thelium, secretory duct |
|
|
|
Mammary gland |
Very clearly discernible |
15–20 single branched tubuloalveolar glands, alveolar |
|
|
acini of different size, epithelial cells of different height |
|
|
with lipid droplets; apical protrusions (apocrine extru- |
|
|
sion); always visible: sections of large lactiferous ducts |
|
|
|
Ampulla of the oviduct |
– |
Tunica mucosa with many folds, primary, secondary |
|
|
and tertiary folds; narrow slit-shaped lumina; single- |
|
|
layered columnar epithelium with secretory cells and |
|
|
ciliated cells |
|
|
|
Thyroid gland |
Clearly discernible |
Follicles (= “alveolar acini”), variable in shape and size |
|
|
(50–500 μm); single-layered epithelium, height varies |
|
|
with functional state; no secretory ducts, because it is |
|
|
an endocrine gland |
|
|
|
Embryonic lung |
Clearly discernible |
Acini often appear in the form of branched epithelial |
|
|
tubes or not quite developed alveoli; cuboidal epithe- |
|
|
lium; clearly discernible system of canals |
|
|
|
Tables
514
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Musculature |
Special morphological characteristics |
|
|
Many smooth muscle cells in the interstitial connective tissue (“fibromuscular stroma”)
Capsule with smooth muscle cells, wide subcapsular venous plexuses; occasionally prostate stones in the gland chambers; elastic and collagenous fibers in the stroma, ganglia cells
Smooth muscle cells in circular arrangement in the |
Connective tissue lamina propria is cell-rich but small |
lamina propria and outside it |
|
Strong wall made of a meshwork of smooth muscle cells (= tunica muscularis)
Tunica adventitia becomes dense and forms a capsule on the surface
Gland tubules surrounded by smooth muscle cells; |
Noticeably light gland cells, clearly defined cell borders |
interspersed with striated muscle fibers of the deep |
|
transverse perineal muscle |
|
|
|
– |
Poorly developed connective tissue; the secretory product in |
|
the gland lumina can be stained |
Tunica muscularis: outer longitudinal layer, more pronounced middle circular layer of smooth muscle cells, inner longitudinal layer (weakly developed)
Clearance with tall branched mucous membrane plicae that almost fill the lumen; outer serosa
– |
Follicles filled with colloid; connective tissue capsule, trabecu- |
|
lae; parafollicular cells (C-cells) |
|
|
– |
Remarkably cell-rich mesenchymal connective tissue |
|
|
Tables
515
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Table 16 Skin areas: differential diagnosis
Skin area
Palms of the hands and soles of the feet
Fingertip
Scalp
Abdominal skin
Skin of the axilla
Skin of the scrotum
Skin of the labium minor
Skin of the outer eyelid
Common characteristics
Multilayered, keratinized squamous epithelium (epidermis), which is layered onto a connective tissue layer (corium) and subcutaneous connective tissue (subcutis)
Lips
Ala nasi
Epidermis
Particularly thick, at 1.5–4.0 mm; thick stratum corneum
Thick; thick stratum corneum
Thin
Thin
Moderately thick, pigmented stratum basale
Thin, moderately keratinized epithelium; extensively pigmented stratum basale
thin, transition to nonkeratinized squamous epithelium; sparsely pigmented
Thin, scarcely keratinized, transition to nonkeratinized squamous epithelium of the palpebral tunica conjunctiva
Moderately thick, multilayered keratinized outer squamous epithelium; transitional zone: vermilion border, inner layer: high multilayered nonkeratinizing squamous epithelium
Moderately thick, transition to respiratory epithelium in the nasal vestibule
Tables
516
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.
Hair |
Glands |
Other features |
None |
Sweat glands only |
Meissner’s corpuscles in the papillary layer, |
|
|
Vater-Pacini bodies in the subcutis; a lot of adi- |
|
|
pose tissue in the soles of the feet (serve as |
|
|
cushions) |
|
|
|
None |
Sweat glands only |
Many Meissner corpuscles in the papillary |
|
|
layer, digital glomeruli, nail bed, possibly bone |
|
|
tissue of the end phalanx |
|
|
|
Terminal hair |
Sweat glands, sebaceous glands |
Aponeurosis epicranialis |
|
|
|
Lanugo hair |
Sweat glands, sebaceous glands |
Thin corium, thick subcutis with adipose tissue |
|
|
(panniculus adiposus) |
|
|
|
Many terminal and |
Many sweat glands, sebaceous glands |
Thick, lipid-rich subcutis |
lanugo hairs |
and apocrine olfactory glands |
|
|
|
|
Sparse |
Sporadic apocrine olfactory glands, |
Skin is wrinkled; smooth muscle cells in the re- |
|
large sebaceous glands |
ticular and subcutaneous tissue layers (tunica |
|
|
dartos); adipose tissue |
|
|
|
None |
Sporadic sweat glands and sebaceous |
|
glands |
Diffuse lymphocyte infiltrates in the cutaneous mucous membranes, no subcutis; poor in adipose tissue
Eyelashes |
Glands of Meibom (holocrine), Moll |
Tarsus, smooth muscle cells of the tarsal |
|
(apocrine) and Krause (eccrine) |
muscle, striated muscles of the elevator |
|
|
muscle of the upper lid |
|
|
|
Only at the outer |
Outer lip: sebaceous glands, sweat |
lips |
glands; inner lip: seromucous labial |
|
glands |
Vermilion border; unpigmented epithelium, sporadic small sebaceous glands; striated orbicular muscle of the mouth
Outer border, vibrissae in the nasal vestibule
Outer ala nasi: many single sebaceous glands; inner ala nasi: sebaceous glands and apocrine vestibular glands
Hyaline cartilage; striated musculature, especially in the nasal muscle
Tables
517
Kuehnel, Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy © 2003 Thieme All rights reserved. Usage subject to terms and conditions of license.