Slides:
Methodical note:
The slides of eye and ear are difficult to process for histology observations due to their physical properties, either
being very sift and fragile or embedded into a bony shell. In vivo, the tissues of the eyeball are supported from
inside by aqueous humor (anterior and posterior chambers) or by vitreous body (the posterior segment) that keep the
wall well extended and all its layers adhering together. The processes of fixation, dehydration and embedding alter
the proper adherence of these layers and cause detachments and slight relocation of the retina that frequently
separates itself from the pigment epithelium cells. The thin, inwards protruding structures like the iris may be
deviated from its original position too. Similar deviations may occur with tiny structures of the membranous
labyrinth of the inner ear. Their optimal preservation is also altered by decalcification process necessary to cut the
bone that surrounds the inner ear structures.
1. Eye, anterior segment (Oko, pedn segm., sl.n. 66E), section, H&E stain.
Due to the large size of the human eye, this slide includes only the anterior segment of the
eyeball. Observe this section at low magnification and identify the cornea, sclera, and their
Overview
ACh
L
Ir
Ir
CB
PCh
Lens
1
ACh
L
Ir
PCh
CB
CP
Lens
transition at the limbus (L). Study the structure of the sclera (S), note the parallel bundles of the
intransparent connective tissue with some blood vessels. Compare sclera with the cornea (C),
which is composed of five layers. Enumerate the layers and indicate the anterior (AE) and
posterior epithelia (PE). What is the structure of these epithelia and what are the names of their
supporting membranes? Note that the corneal stroma (St) is completely avascular and its
connective tissue has a few cells only. In the same slide you can study also the ciliary body
(CB), ciliary processes (CP) and the iris (Ir). You can locate these structures easily by the
presence of pigmented epithelial cells (PC) on their surfaces. The ciliary processes are covered
by the two-layered cuboidal epithelium, with superficially located clear cells (arrows), and
basally located pigmented cells (PC). What is the function of clear cells? In the iris, note the
difference in lining of the anterior and posterior faces of this structure. Try to locate the
sphincter and dilator muscle of the iris. Your slide show the lens slightly damaged, but you
can locate the anterior chamber (ACh) and a part of the posterior chamber (PCh). Some slides
may include the ora serrata with the transition into the retina. In the middle zone between the
outer and inner layers of the eyeball, you can locate the vascular choroid layer (ChL), that
contains many blood vessels fibrocytes and pigmented cells.
AE
St
PE
2
CP
CP
PC
PC
ChL
Retina is
displaced
Overview
CB
Ir
ON
C
Vitreous body
Lens
nearby retina (R) with the other layers of the eyeball wall. Find a part of the retina that is not
detached very much from the pigment epithelium. Also think about the developmental reasons of
the fact that, if mechanically strained, this layer separates always only between the outer
segments of rods and cones and the pigment epithelium. Study the vertical cellular components
of the retina and locate the rods and cones (outer and inner segments, Ro, Co), the bipolar
ganglion cells (their nuclei, BGC) and cell bodies of the large ganglion cells (GC) as well.
Amacrine, horizontal and Muller cells are difficult to locate in H&E stained sections. Finally,
under high magnification, identify all ten zones of the retina starting with the pigment
epithelium (PE, arrow) and ending up with the internal limiting membrane (ILM). Note that in
the spot of the optic nerve (ON), all cellular components of the retina are missing (optic papilla
= the blind spot).
ILM
ChL
S
GC
BGC
10
9
ILM
8
7
6
GC
5
4
3
2
1
BGC
Ro
S
ChL
The structural zones in retina are as follows: 1 - pigmented epithelium, 2 - rods and cones,
3 - outer limiting membrane, 4 - outer nuclear layer, 5 - outer plexiform layer, 6 - inner nuclear
layer, 7 - inner plexiform layer, 8 - ganglion cells layer, 9 - nerve fibers layer, 10 - inner limiting
membrane.
CF
GC
BGC
ChL
S
4. Eye, posterior segment, optic nerve (Sl.n. 66Ccr-Eye_Entire.vsi), section, H&E stain.
This slide includes the posterior part of the eyeball with the optic nerve (ON), retina (R) and
with the other layers of the eyeball wall. Focus you attention to the spot, where the optic nerve
leaves the eyeball penetrating all the layers of the retina (optic disc, OD). Note, that at this spot,
all layers of the eyeball are interrupted, including cellular elements of the retina (blind spot),
except for the nerve fibers layer (NFL) that makes a small depression where the axons of retinal
large ganglion cells leave the eyeball. Also the sclera is interrupted here into short segments
forming a sieve-like lamina cribrosa (LC). Observe sections of large blood vessels (central
retinal artery & vein and their branches, asterisks) present in nerve fibers layer in this area, as
they enter the inner surface of the retina (Fig.1).
Overview
R
OD
S
LC
ON
OD
NFL
NFL
* *
*
S
S
LC
ON
5. Optic nerve (Fasciculus opticus, sl.n. 68), transverse s., H&E stain.
This slide shows a
transverse section of the
optic nerve (ON) after
it has left the eyeball
and acquired its own
envelopes (E) derived
from dura mater and
pia-arachnoid
brain
envelopes. Observe the
transverse sections of
myelinated
axons
(MA)
arranged
in
bundles separated by
septa (S) derived from
the surface envelopes.
At high magnification,
find nuclei of glial cells
(arrows) among the
axons and name these
cells properly.
Overview
MA
MA
ON
S
S
A
ED
ES
OOM
HF
TG
TG
IS
TP
the internal surface (IS) observe the very smooth stratified columnar epithelium of the
conjuctiva. The free edge of this fold of the skin has several hair follicles (eyelashes, HF) with
associated sebaceous glands (of Zeiss). There are two additional glands in this part of the eyelid;
the large tarsal gland (holocrine, sebaceous, TG), that has its secretory portions and also the
duct located within the tarsal plate, and the apocrine glands of Moll (AGM), located close to the
edge of the eyelid (not shown in this section).
OOM
HF
HF
TG
IS
10
H&E staining
HF
OOM
AGM
HF
AGM
Overview
SL
SM
SG
VM
BM
SV
SG
SM
SV
SG
OC
ST
SM
ST
VM
SV
TM
SL
M
OC
SG
BM
Bone
12
Bone
E
CVP
E
TB
E
TB
S
TB
G
S
TB
section of the tongue, find some taste buds (TB) on slopes of the lateral ridges of the lining
stratified squamous nonkeratinized epithelium (E) of the circumvallate papilla (CVP), and
with high magnifications study the supporting (S) and gustatory cells (G) inside the taste buds.
In optimal sections, you may also see the gustatory pore of the taste bud as it opens to the
surface of the epithelium. Synaptic contacts and dendrites of the afferent neurons are not clear
in the standard H&E staining. Revise the ultrastructure of gustatory sensory cells.
Revise also Sl.71-Tongue_CircumvalPap.vsi (Practical n.12).
13
OM
of the olfactory sensory cells and describe their apical specializations that are responsible for
chemical analysis of gases and depolarization response of these cells.
OM
SG
OM
SG
14
Overview
MC
MC
MC
D
Revise also virtual slide Sl.55B-Skin_Plantar.vsi.
MC
15
D
D
PC
PC
H
BV
PC
BV
PC
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MUSCLE SPINDLE
GOLGI TENDON ORGAN
Websites:
http://virtualslides.med.umich.edu/Histology/Central%20Nervous%20System/EAR1_HISTO_40X.svs/view.apml?cwidth=800&cheight=485&chost=virtualslides.med.umich.edu&csis=1
http://medsci.indiana.edu/a215/virtualscope/docs/chap6_8.htm
http://www.lab.anhb.uwa.edu.au/mb140/CorePages/Muscle/Muscle.htm#spindle
http://www.siumed.edu/~dking2/ssb/ear.htm
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Labs/Anatomy_&_Physiology/A&P202/Special_Senses/Histology_Ear.htm
http://www.bu.edu/histology/m/t_eye.htm
http://webvision.med.utah.edu/sretina.html
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/labs/anatomy_&_physiology/a&p202/special_senses/eye/histology_eye.htm
http://www.histology-world.com/photoalbum/thumbnails.php?album=21
http://www.meded.virginia.edu/public/CourseSitesDocs/CellandTissueStructure/handouts/unrestricted/original/MMHndt_Eye.html
http://download.videohelp.com/vitualis/med/Eye_Histology.html
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