Cytology and Epithelial Science Lecture 1

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the definitions of cytology terms, historical milestones, epithelial cell types, and screening procedures based on the lecture transcript.

Cytology

The science of the study of cells applied to the detection of cancer and its precursors by looking for changes in cells that indicate neoplasia.

Neoplasia

Cellular changes that are either pre-cancerous or cancerous.

Gynaecological Cytology

A branch of cytology focused on cervical screening where cells are exfoliated and collected by brushing or scraping the cervix, often using Liquid Based Cytology.

Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA)

A technique where cells are collected by drawing them into the bore of a thin needle from sites such as breast lumps, lymph nodes, liver, or lung.

Basement Membrane (BM)

An amorphous, permeable membrane secreted by epithelial cells that helps bind cells together.

Simple Squamous Epithelium

Very thin, flat cells with an irregular outline and a "fried egg" appearance, typically $25-30\,\mu$ in size with pink cytoplasm.

Mesothelium

A specialized simple squamous epithelium that lines serous cavities, covers organs, and has cytoplasm that stains pale blue green.

Endothelium

A specialized simple squamous epithelium that lines the heart, blood vessels, and lymphatics.

Cuboidal Epithelium

A single layer of cells as high as they are wide ($12-15\,\mu$ in diameter), found in kidney tubules and the germinal covering of ovaries.

Simple Columnar Epithelium

A single layer of tall cells, often $15-20\,\mu$ in length, that line the gastrointestinal tract and endocervical canal.

Pseudostratified Columnar

Epithelium that appears multiple layers thick due to nuclei being at different levels, though all cells lie on the basement membrane.

Stratified Squamous Epithelium

The thickest of all epithelia, consisting of many layers; surface cells are thin and flat while deeper cells are cuboidal.

Superficial Cell

A polygonal and flat cell ($35-45\,\mu$) with a pyknotic nucleus and pink cytoplasm, representing the most mature layer of stratified squamous epithelium.

Intermediate Cell

A polygonal and flat cell ($30-40\,\mu$) with a vesicular nucleus and pale green blue cytoplasm.

Parabasal Cell

A rounded cell ($25-35\,\mu$) with a vesicular nucleus and green/blue cytoplasm, arising from the true basal (reserve) cells.

Urothelial Epithelium

Also called transitional epithelium, it lines the urinary tract and features large, often binucleate surface cells known as "umbrella cells".

Macrophage

A scavenger cell ($15-25\,\mu$ in diameter) with foamy cytoplasm and often a bean-shaped nucleus.

Giant Macrophage

Huge cells up to $150\,\mu$ with hundreds of nuclei, typically found at sites of chronic inflammation.

Plasma Cell

Cells about $12\,\mu$ in size that produce antibodies and feature a nucleus with coarsely granular chromatin in a clock-face distribution.

Cervical Screening Test (CST)

The current Australian screening program that replaced the 2-yearly Pap test with a 5-yearly HPV test for individuals aged 25 to 74.

Ayre’s Spatula

A wooden or plastic collection device used to sample cells from the cervix.

Carnoy’s

An expensive cytology fixative that causes shrinkage.

Haematoxylin

A dye used in the Papanicolaou stain to color the nucleus blue.

OG6

A cytoplasmic counterstain containing Orange G 6 that stains keratin in mature cells orange.

EA50

A compound cytoplasmic counterstain consisting of Eosin Y (stains mature cells pink), Light Green (stains immature cells green), and Bismark Brown.

Screening Pattern

A methodical slide examination using a 10x objective for initial screening and a 40x objective for examining unusual findings.