Histology

Introduction
 Definition of Histology : to study the fine structure
associated with its function in the human body.
Contents: cells (basic units of structure) and
intercellular substance
↓
 Tissues (epithelial, connective, muscle and nervous)
 ↓more than 2 kinds of tissues
 Organs
 ↓ organs with related functions
 Systems
 Epithelial Tissue (ET)

 Characteristics:
1. Membrane-like structure: crowded cells with very
scanty intercellular substance.
2. Polarity : basal end rests on the basement
membrane (BM),
 the distal end associates with functions, such as

absorption, secretion (gland) and etc.

3. Avascular: in general ET has no blood vessels,
may be rich in nerve endings.
 Classification of ET

 1. The simple epithelium (each cell rests on BM)

mainly associated with lubrication, transport,
absorption or secretion function. It can be divided
into:
 (1). Simple squamous epithelium
(e.g.endothelium)
 (2). Simple cuboidal epithelium ( thyroid gland)
 (3). Simple columnar epithelium (intestine)
 (4). Pseudostratifird (cilliated) columnar
epithelium
 ( trachea)
 2. The stratified epithelium ( multi-layers contain
deep, middle and superficial layers, only the
basal cells rest on BM), mainly associated with
protection function. Based on the shape of the
suface cells, it can be divided into:
 (1)Stratified squamous epithelium : non-
keratinized (esophagues), keratinized (skin)
 (2) Stratified cuboid epithelium
 (3) Stratified columnar epithelium
 (4) transitional epithelium (urothelium): relaxed
↔ stretched, may be pseudostratified.
 Contacts between adjoining epithelial cells on the
lateral side
 There are 4 types of contacts from free end to basal in the
simple columnar epithelium:
 1. Tight junctions (belt type): some fusions of cell
membrane prevent large molecules from passing through
intercellular space.
 2.Intermediate junction (belt type): the cytoplasmic
filaments are anchored to the dense material on
cytoplasmic faces of the cell membrane to form terminal
web, functioning as support.
 3. Desmosome (plague type): it is a spot-weld type in cell to
cell attachment. Some filaments connect the desmosome
plaques across the intercellular space and intermediate line
(fusion of the cell coats, glycocalyx ).
 4.Gap junction (spot type ) : a series of microwholes
through the narrow intercellular space, about 3nm. It is an
area of low electrical resistance to ionic flow, involved in
cell to cell communication.
 The combined above tight, intermediate and gap junctions
may constitute a junctional complex, although the tight
junction, desmosome and gap junction may exist
independently.

 Notice: these junctions also exist in each kind of primary

tissues, not limited in the epithelial tissue.
 Key points

 1. How to distinguish/identify the following

epithelial tissues, e.g. the simple squamous
epithelium, simple columnar epithelium,
pseudostratified cilliated columnar epithelium,
stratified squamous epithelium and trasitional
epithelium.
 2. The structure and function of the tight junction,
gap junction and desmosome.
 General connective tissue (CT)

 Characteristics:
 1.The cells are scattered with no polarity.
 2. A great amount of intercellular substance (IS) may differentiate into
fibers and ground substance (GS).
 3. Always accompanied by blood vessels.
 4. Associated with connection, support, nutrition and defense
 Classification: based on the character of IS in CT
 With fibers, fluid GS; with fibers, solid GS; with few fibers, fluid GS
 Fibrous (loose /dense) Cartilage Embryonic mesenchyme
 Adipose Bone
 Reticular
 The structure of mysenchyme

Mesenchynal cells: stallate-shaped, undifferentited type (with

differentiation capacity) with pale stained nucleus, distinct
nucleuolus and weak basophilia cytoplasm.

In the adult the mysenchyme still retained in some regions,

e.g.around the small blood vessels

The mesenchynal cells can differentiate into blood vessel

endothelium, smooth muscle and each kind of CT, if
required.
 Structure of loose connective tissue

There are 6 kinds of cells and 3 kinds of fibers.

Cells:
1. Fibroblast (fibrocyte, inactive type )and 2. Plasma cell are
of protein-secreting type, with developed mitochondria,
Golgi complex, especially the rough endoplasmic reticulum
resulting in cytoplasm strong basophilia.
The protein products of the fibroblast are fibers (collagen,
elastic and reticular) and ground substance.
The protein products of plasma cell are
immunoglobulins/antibodies
3. Macrophage: function as scavenger and involve immune
response by direct way, e.g. process antigen as antigen
presenting cell (APC)and by indirect way through mediators
secreted from the macrophage, e.g. IL1and CSF
respectively stimulate Tcell and neutrophils to proliferate.
 4. Mast cell: there are lots of heterochromatic (different
staining color)
 granules in cytoplasm. The granules contain heparin,
histamine, etc.
The histamine ↑ permeability of the capillary. During the
receptor, IgE of the mast cell combined with its specific
sensitive antigen may result in anaphylaxis, such as asthma,
urticaria, hay fever, etc.

The plasma cell, macrophage and mast cell function as

immune cells.

5. Fat cell: synthesis and storage of lipid (nutrition).

6. Wandering leucocytes.
Fibers: function mainly as support
1. Collagen fiber (white fiber): with tensile strength
The collagen fiber consists of collagen synthesized by the fibroblast.
The fibril is made up of pre-collagen molecules arranged in stepwise
way, appeared as striated with EM. The striation with periodicity of 64
nm can be identified as collagen fiber.
The wavy bundle of collagen fiber can be stained with eosin in red color.

2. Elastc fiber (yellow fiber): with elasticity decreased with aging

The elastic fiber consists of elastin synthesized by the fibroblast. The
thicker elastic fiber also can be stained with eosin

3. Reticular fiber (argyrophilia fiber): The reticular fiber is a premature

type of the collagen fiber coated by a layer of glycoprotein. The reticular
fiber can be demonstrated by silver staining.
Ground substance (GS): also secreted from the fibroblast, homogenous
(amorphous) under LM and involved in barrier and nutrition function.
The GS consists of proteoglycans (polysaccharide) and glycoprotin.
1. Proteoglycans: the major component of proteoglycans is the large
molecule of hyaluronic acid (bottle brush type) with negative charge
to combine Na+ and H + OH- , besides a small amount of tissue fluid.
The ultrastructure of GS functions as a molecular sieve to prevent
from dispersion of deleterious materials/ bacteria.
2. Glycoprotein: only a small amount
The glycoprotein contains fibronectin, laminin,etc, providing
substantial base for cell recognition, adhesion and migration.
 Key points

 1.The fine structure associated with function of the

fibroblast, plasma cell, macrophage and mast cell.

 2. How to identify fibrocyte, plasma cell, macrophage and

mast cell respectively.

 3. How to distinguish collagen fibers from elastic fibers.