HISTOLOGY DRAWINGS

created by Dr Carol Lazer

during the period 2000-2005

INTRODUCTION

ƒ The first pages illustrate introductory concepts for

those new to microscopy as well as definitions of
commonly used histology terms.

ƒ The drawings of histology images were originally

designed to complement the histology component of
the first year Medical course run prior to 2004.

ƒ They are sketches from selected slides used in class

from the teaching slide set.

ƒ These labelled diagrams should closely follow the

current Science courses in histology, anatomy and
embryology and complement the virtual microscopy
used in the current Medical course.

© Dr Carol Lazer, April 2005

 STEREOLOGY: SLICING A 3-D OBJECT
SIMPLE TUBE CROSS SECTION = TRANSVERSE SECTION
(XS) (TS)

OBLIQUE SECTION

3-D
LONGITUDINAL SECTION (LS)

2-D

BENDING AND BRANCHING TUBE

branch off a tube

2 sections from 2 tubes
cut at different angles
section at the beginning
3-D 2-D of a branch

3 sections from one tube

1 section and the

grazed wall of a tube
en face view = as
seen from above

COMPLEX STRUCTURE (gland) COMPOUND ( = branched ducts)

ACINAR ( = bunches of secretory cells)
GLAND

duct (XS =TS)

acinus (cluster of cells) (TS)

duct and acinus (LS)

3-D
2-D

Do microscope images of 2-D slices represent a

single plane of section of a 3-D structure? Do all microscope slides show 2-D slices of 3-D
structures?
No, 2-D slices have a thickness which can vary
from a sliver of one cell to several cells deep. No, slides can also be smears, where entire cells
With the limited depth of field of high power lenses lie on the surface of the slide, or whole tissue
it is possible to focus through the various levels mounts of very thin structures, such as mesentery.
within a slice.
© Dr Carol Lazer, April 2005
 LININGS, COVERINGS & TERMINOLOGY
KEY GENERALISED SECTION
epithelium OF THE BODY
epidermis SKIN
connective tissue (keratinised stratified Covers the
beneath epithelium squamous epithelium) external surface.
ORIGIN: ectoderm
connective tissue,
muscle, glands, etc
dermis ADVENTITIA
Connective tissue of
mesothelium
mesentery one structure meets
(simple squamous epithelium)
connective tissue of
ORIGIN: mesoderm
another structure.
lamina propria

lumen

lining epithelium
ORIGIN: endoderm
or mesoderm

MUCOSA or
MUCOUS MEMBRANE
has a wet surface (mucus).
Lines organs that open to
the outside.

SEROSA or
SEROUS MEMBRANE
has a wet surface (watery).
Lines body cavities.
Covers organs in body cavities.

blood vessel lined by endothelium

(simple squamous epithelium)
ORIGIN: mesoderm © Dr Carol Lazer, September 2000 – April 2005
 COVERING AND LINING EPITHELIA
STRATIFIED EPITHELIA
STRATA:
squamous
EPITHELIUM:
non-keratinised spinosum
stratified squamous

TISSUE / ORGAN: germinativum

oesophagus
mitotic figure

lamina propria

squames
STRATA:

corneum
granulosum
EPITHELIUM:
keratinised spinosum
stratified squamous

TISSUE / ORGAN: germinativum

skin (epidermis)
mitotic figure
dermis

vacuoles (folded plasma membrane)

binucleate cell
adluminal or facet cell

EPITHELIUM:
transitional

TISSUE / ORGAN: TISSUE / ORGAN:

bladder (relaxed) bladder (stretched)

© Dr Carol Lazer, August 2000 – April 2005

 SIMPLE EPITHELIA

EPITHELIUM:
colloid
simple cuboidal

TISSUE / ORGAN:
thyroid lamina propria

blood vessel
2
EPITHELIUM:
simple columnar
lamina propria EPITHELIUM:
TISSUE / ORGAN: simple squamous
gall bladder
TISSUES / ORGANS:
1 endothelium lining blood
vessel
1
2 mesothelium of serosa
covering lung

ciliated columnar cell

edge on columnar goblet cell
terminal bar cilia
above

EPITHELIUM: basal cell

EPITHELIUM:
pseudostratified columnar
simple columnar or basement membrane
(respiratory epithelium)
pseudostratified columnar
MORE FULLY: pseudostratified ciliated

TISSUE / ORGAN: columnar epithelium with goblet cells

seminal vesicle (ox)
TISSUE / ORGAN: trachea
© Dr Carol Lazer, August 2000 – April 2005
 EXOCRINE GLANDS & DUCTS
SIMPLE GLANDS hair

epidermis

hair follicle dermis

arrector
branched alveolar (acinar) gland pili
sebaceous gland opening into hair muscle
follicle

duct
dying inner
large cells
secretory
outer small portion
basal cells
(dividing)
coiled tubular eccrine
sweat gland with duct
twisting to open on
FEATURE: sebaceous gland the skin surface
TISSUE / ORGAN: around hair follicle
in dermis of skin FEATURE: eccrine sweat gland
TISSUE / ORGAN: dermis of skin
(also in hypodermis)

coiled duct
portion
duct portion with dark
staining stratified cuboidal
coiled tube epithelium (bi-layer)
secretory portion
secretory portion with
thicker, pale staining
bi-layer of cells

(TS) basement membrane

myoepithelial cells (TS)

within basement membrane

myoepithelial cells palisade of

wrapped in a spiral myoepithelial cells (LS)
around the coiled tube

Are myoepithelial cells only present around sweat

FEATURE: duct and secretory portions, glands and what is their function?
myoepithelial cells
They are found around the secretory acini and some
TISSUE / ORGAN: eccrine sweat gland
ducts of many glands. They contract under autonomic
nervous control to expel the glandular secretions.

© Dr Carol Lazer, November 2001 – April 2005

 COMPOUND GLAND
GLAND STRUCTURE DUCT ORGANISATION

lobe interlobar duct = excretory duct

[drains the lobes of a gland]
lobule
layers of
connective tissue interlobular duct = intralobar duct
[drains many lobules in a lobe]
connective
tissue septum
(between lobules)
intralobular duct
secretory tube (e.g. striated duct)
and acinus
[drains many acini in a lobule]

acinus = alveolus = adenomere

intercalated duct
FEATURE: lobe, lobules and ducts [drains each acinus]
TISSUE / ORGAN: compound tubulo-alveolar (tubulo-acinar) gland

part of lobe interlobular duct

= intralobar duct
lobule
intralobular duct
(striated duct in
salivary gland)
connective
tissue septum blood vessels
artery & vein
interlobar duct
FEATURE: lobe, lobules and ducts (TS)
TISSUE / ORGAN: part of a lobe of salivary gland
striated duct
large lumen
and simple
mucous secretory tube columnar
epithelium with
intercalated ducts basal striations
small lumen

serous
demilune (TS)
(LS) intercalated
mucous acinus serous acinus ducts
wedge-shaped cells filled wedge-shaped
with pale staining remnant cells packed with Do all compound glands have striated ducts?
of mucous secretion and zymogen granules
flattened basal nuclei and round nucleus No, they all have intralobular ducts but these
FEATURE: serous and mucous acini and ducts have a characteristic appearance in the salivary
TISSUE / ORGAN: submandibular salivary gland gland and so have a different name.

© Dr Carol Lazer, November 2001 – April 2005

 CONNECTIVE TISSUE
DENSE CONNECTIVE TISSUE

collagen
fibre (LS)

fibrocyte
nucleus (LS)

CLASSIFICATION: dense regular connective tissue (showing crimp pattern)

TISSUE / ORGAN: tendon or ligament fascicle

ground substance

collagen fibre in the

plane of section (LS)
collagen fibre perpendicular
to the plane of section (TS)

fibroblast nucleus (TS)

fibroblast nucleus (LS)

CLASSIFICATION: dense irregular connective tissue

TISSUE / ORGAN: dermis of skin

ground substance
collagen fibre in the
plane of section (LS)
collagen fibre perpendicular
to the plane of section (TS)
elastic fibre (LS)
elastic fibre (TS)
fibroblast nucleus (TS)
fibroblast nucleus (LS)

What is the difference between this specimen

and the one before?
CLASSIFICATION: dense irregular connective tissue
TISSUE / ORGAN: dermis of skin It is stained to show elastic fibres. These
were always present but not seen without the
special stain.

© Dr Carol Lazer, August 2000 – April 2005

 SPECIFIC TISSUES & FIBRES
brown fat cell (brown adipocyte)
centrally located round nucleus
lipid droplet (one of many -- multilocular)
collagenous septum separating fat lobules
fibroblast nucleus
white fat cell (white adipocyte)
flattened nucleus
single large lipid droplet (unilocular)
blood vessel

CLASSIFICATION: brown and white adipose tissue

TISSUE / ORGAN: fat stored in body

collagen fibre
anastomosing elastic fibre
macrophage
mast cell

fibroblast nucleus

CLASSIFICATION: loose connective tissue

TISSUE / ORGAN: mesentery

endothelium
myofibroblast
collagen fibre
elastic fibres

lymphocyte

trabecula
capsule with collagen and
reticular fibres reticular fibre

CLASSIFICATION: reticular fibres fenestration

TISSUE / ORGAN: lymph node elastic fibre (TS)

CLASSIFICATION: elastic fibres crenated elastic fibre (LS)

TISSUE / ORGAN: elastic artery (brachial artery)
© Dr Carol Lazer, August 2000 – April 2005
 BLOOD CELLS (SMEAR)
MONONUCLEAR POLYMORPHONUCLEAR
FEATURE: blood cell types LEUKOCYTES or LEUKOCYTES or
TISSUE / ORGAN: peripheral blood AGRANULOCYTES GRANULOCYTES

neutrophil
with multi-
erythrocyte small lymphocyte lobed nucleus
biconcave disc with a large, round and many small
with pale centre nucleus and blue granules
cytoplasmic rim

eosinophil
with bi-lobed
nucleus and
many large
rouleaux formation red granules
stack of erythrocytes of similar size
monocyte
with a single nucleus that may
be irregular or bean shaped basophil
and blue cytoplasm which may with many
platelets have tiny granules or vacuoles blue granules
cytoplasmic of different
fragments with a Indentation of the nucleus size that
dark chromomere (monocyte or lymphocyte) obscure the
and pale hyalomere is caused by proximity to nucleus
the Golgi apparatus.

basophilic
BLOOD-RELATED CELLS (SECTION) cytoplasm (rER)

numerous red eosinophilic (or pale)

granules in perinuclear region
cytoplasm (Golgi apparatus)
overlapping eccentric nucleus
lobes of nucleus (clock-faced)
FEATURE: tissue eosinophil (and plasma cells) FEATURE: plasma cell
TISSUE / ORGAN: lamina propria of glands of TISSUE / ORGAN: lamina propria of salivary
stomach mucosa gland secretory acini
bone
adipocyte trabecula
marrow osteocyte
cells
multiple
nuclei in
single, large, osteoclast
lobulated
nucleus eosinophilic
cytoplasm
eosinophilic
cytoplasm shrinkage
Schwann cell nucleus artefact
FEATURE: megakaryocyte not to be FEATURE: osteoclast
TISSUE / ORGAN: bone marrow confused with TISSUE / ORGAN: bone trabecula
© Dr Carol Lazer, November 2001 – April 2005
 CARTILAGE AND BONE
CARTILAGE thick perichondrium

adventitia with fibrous layer (with fibroblasts)

adipose tissue cellular layer ( chondroblasts)
blood vessels
territorial matrix
peripheral (dark staining / recent)
nerve
fold interterritorial matrix
artefact (pale staining / older)
interstitial growth
(from the middle)
appositional growth
(from the edge)

thin perichondrium

lamina propria with glands

cell nests (recently epithelium -- respiratory

divided chondrocytes) (pseudostratified ciliated columnar)
lacuna (space in the matrix
once occupied by a cell) FEATURE: hyaline cartilage
chondrocyte TISSUE / ORGAN: trachea
chondroblast
attachment side
adventitia = loose connective tissue
fibroblast cell nests (recently
divided chondrocytes)
chondroblast
chondrocyte territorial matrix
(dark staining / recent)
lacuna
interterritorial matrix
thick (pale staining / older)
perichondrium
interstitial growth
elastic fibres
appositional growth
fibrous cellular
layer layer

dermis and hypodermis of skin

thin
perichondrium epithelium = epidermis of skin
(keratinised stratified squamous)
blood vessels
FEATURE: elastic cartilage external ear side
peripheral nerve
TISSUE / ORGAN: pinna of ear
© Dr Carol Lazer, July 2002 – April 2005
 COMPACT BONE skeletal muscle fibrous periosteum (with fibroblasts)
(TS) cellular periosteum ( osteoblasts)
(LS)
tendon or
ligament outer circumferential lamellae
interstitial lamellae
Volkmann’s canal
concentric lamellae of osteon
cement line
(outermost layer of osteon)
Haversian canal
(centre of osteon)
osteocyte in lacuna
(or empty lacuna)
inner circumferential lamellae
(absent in young bone)
endosteum (osteoblasts)
blood vessels in
shrinkage Haversian canal
artefact

bone marrow cells

adipocyte

FEATURE: Haversian systems ( = osteons) with lamellae (TS)

TISSUE / ORGAN: diaphysis (shaft) of femur

canaliculus
(channel in matrix)

osteocyte in lacuna
(or empty lacuna)

concentric lamellae

cement line

Volkmann’s canals (link Haversian canals)

Haversian canal (centre of osteon)

FEATURE: Haversian systems ( = osteons)

with lamellae (LS)
TISSUE / ORGAN: diaphysis of femur

© Dr Carol Lazer, August 2002 – April 2005

 BONE / MUSCLE FORMATION & JOINTS
Meckel’s cartilage perichondrium
osteoblast
} mesenchyme Howship’s lacuna
} dura
} arachnoid
pia
} brain
dura marrow precursor osteoclast

1a 1b osteocyte osteoblasts 2
bone matrix in trabecula
osteoprogenitor cell
FEATURE: intramembranous ossification examples
TISSUE / ORGAN: 1 dura mater and calvaria
INTRAMEMBRANOUS OSSIFICATION
2 Meckel’s cartilage and mandible
OLDER FETAL RAT HEAD
YOUNG FETAL RAT HEAD (coronal section)
(sagittal section) 1b
1a dura
brain
eye
cartilage
region of
bone growth

2 teeth
tongue

MYOBLASTS MYOTUBES MYOFIBRES

(LS)
(TS) (LS)
(TS)
(LS)
multiple multiple
elongated cells central peripheral
(central nuclei) nuclei nuclei
aligned in one perinuclear
direction cytoplasm peripheral
cytoplasm
stellate-shaped cells peripheral
myofibrils central myofibrils
spindle-shaped cell syncytium of cells
(fused multiple cells)
STRIATED MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT
FEATURE: spindle- and stellate-shaped cells
FEATURE: myoblasts and myotubes
TISSUE / ORGAN: mesenchyme (developing striated muscle cells)
(undifferentiated mesoderm) TISSUE / ORGAN: fetal tongue
© Dr Carol Lazer, September 2002 – April 2005
 FEATURE: stages in long bone development
OSSIFICATION & JOINTS
TISSUE / ORGAN: fetal rat tail
hyaline cartilage intervertebral endochondral marrow cavity
DISTAL “model” of bone disc ossification PROXIMAL

collar of intramembranous swelling, dying ingrowth of blood vessels,

bone in perichondrium chondrocytes marrow cells and periosteal fibrous periosteum
osteoprogenitor cells
JOINTS cellular periosteum with
osteoprogenitor cells
nucleus annulus
pulposus fibrosus collagen fibres and matrix
chondrocytes and cartilage matrix

trabecula
marrow cell
forming
Haversian
canal osteoblast Howship’s
marrow osteocyte lacuna osteoclast

FEATURE: bone growth and remodelling

ligament perichondrium periosteum TISSUE / ORGAN: periosteal collar of vertebra

FEATURE: developing symphysis joint ENDOCHONDRAL OSSIFICATION

TISSUE / ORGAN: intervertebral disc resting chondrocytes
ZONES
synovial lamina propria joint capsule joint internal proliferating chondrocytes
membrane (loose c.t. or (ligament ) ligament chondrocyte hypertrophy
and villi adipose tissue) fibrocartilage
meniscus calcifying matrix
perichondrial-
lined perforating synovial cavity resorption
channels with articular bone trabeculae
blood vessels cartilage
(cartilage canals) bone
1 fornix growth
pericondrium 1
2
periosteum 2

aponeurosis 3
tendon or
striated secondary 3 advancing
muscle ossification marrow cell
1 - epiphysis cancellous calcified
2 - metaphysis (spongy) bone cartilage matrix
marrow bone matrix
3 - diaphysis compact bone
FEATURE: epiphyseal disc (growth plate)
FEATURE: generalised synovial joint TISSUE / ORGAN: growth zone of long bone
TISSUE / ORGAN: knee (or elbow)
© Dr Carol Lazer, October 2002 – April 2005
 MUSCLE
muscle fibre
CLASSIFICATION: fascicle of skeletal or (myofibre)
A band
striated muscle (LS)
I band
H band
Z line
fibroblast nucleus

endomysium

muscle fibre
cytoplasm
perimysium blood vessel muscle fibre nuclei
endothelium
perimysium
endomysium
blood vessel
endothelium
CLASSIFICATION: fascicle
of skeletal or striated muscle (TS) muscle fibre (TS)

myofibrils (TS)

muscle fibre nuclei

fibroblast nucleus
epimysium
perimysium
endomysium
smooth muscle fascicle (LS)
corkscrew nucleus

smooth muscle cells (LS)

blood vessel
endothelium

fibroblast nucleus

smooth muscle fascicle (TS)

smooth muscle cell nuclei Why is there a large variation in smooth muscle
nuclei (TS) from absent to small to large?
CLASSIFICATION: smooth muscle in fascicles The cells are so long that sections cut the ovoid
(LS & TS) and arteriole wall nucleus from centre to edge or even miss it.

© Dr Carol Lazer, August 2000 – April 2005

 simple columnar
CLASSIFICATION: single smooth epithelium
muscle cells
columnar cell
TISSUE / ORGAN: intestinal villus
goblet cell

smooth muscle cell

(myofibroblast)

blood vessel endothelium

lamina propria

intercalated disc A and I bands

cardiac muscle cardiac muscle
fascicle (LS) myofibril
cardiac muscle cell (LS)
fascicle (TS) clear
perinuclear
region
nucleus

(TS)
Purkinje fibres
(LS)
connective
tissue septa
(perimysium)

fibroblast
nucleus

endothelium
nucleus

myofibrils
cardiac muscle
cell (TS) clear perinuclear region endocardium
(endothelium +
nucleus lamina propria)
interwoven
muscle fibres
CLASSIFICATION: cardiac muscle fascicles
TISSUE / ORGAN: heart (interventricular septum)
© Dr Carol Lazer, August 2000 – April 2005
 NERVOUS TISSUE
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
(CNS)
dorsal nerve rootlet
dura mater
small neuron
arachnoid of dorsal horn
pia mater ependymal cells
around central canal
septum of pia mater
motor neuron
of ventral horn
grey matter
white matter
neuropil
oligodendrocyte
myelinated axons (TS) nucleus

myelinated axons (LS) astrocyte nucleus

axon
blood vessels
ventral nerve rootlet axon hillock
nucleus
FEATURE: white matter and cells of grey matter
Nissl granules
TISSUE / ORGAN: spinal cord and meninges
dendrite
PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (PNS)
FEATURE: myelin sheath
TISSUE / ORGAN: peripheral nerve (TS)

blood vessel (vasa nervorum)

myelinated nerve fibre
Schmidt-Lanterman cleft
myelin sheath
axoplasm
white adipocyte
endoneurium
perineurium
epineurium
epineurium
perineurium
endoneurium
paranodal swelling
node of Ranvier

FEATURE: Nodes of Ranvier internode

TISSUE / ORGAN: peripheral nerve (LS) © Dr Carol Lazer, August 2000 – April 2005
 epineurium
perineurium around nerve fascicle (LS)
perineurium around nerve fascicle (TS)

blood vessel (vasa nervorum)

white fat cell (white adipocyte)
septum of perineurium
endoneurium
axoplasm
neurokeratin remnant of myelin sheath
FEATURE: Schwann cells Schwann cell nucleus
TISSUE / ORGAN: sciatic nerve
fibroblast nucleus

axon Ranvier’s cross

Schmidt-Lanterman cleft
neurokeratin of
myelin sheath

Nissl granules

axon hillock

ganglion cell
ganglion cell
nucleus

satellite cell nucleus

FEATURE: pseudounipolar neurons and myelin
TISSUE / ORGAN: trigeminal sensory ganglion

perineurium around nerve fascicle (LS)

endoneurium
myelinated axon
Schwann cell nucleus
blood vessel endothelium
smooth muscle (TS)

perineurium around nerve fascicle (TS)

endoneurium
myelinated axon
Schwann cell nucleus
fibroblast nucleus
FEATURE: peripheral nerve fascicles
TISSUE / ORGAN: connective tissue (tongue)
© Dr Carol Lazer, August 2000 – April 2005
 FETAL MEMBRANES
FEATURE: chorionic plate, villi, uterine wall
PLACENTA TISSUE / ORGAN: placenta (3 months)

FETAL SIDE MATERNAL SIDE

branch of umbilical stratum basale of
blood vessel endometrium with
darker peripheral
chorionic plate region, glands and
small vessels
chorionic villi
with trophoblast
covering and a cytotrophoblastic
mesoblast anchoring column
(extraembryonic
mesoderm) core smooth muscle
of myometrium
maternal blood
spaces (lacunae)
large vessels in
syncytiotrophoblast the myometrium
sprout (primary villus)

columnar epithelium
of tubular uterine
SECONDARY VILLUS (endometrial) gland blood
trophoblast + mesoblast syncytiotrophoblast vessel
cytotrophoblast
mesoblast
rami of
umbilical
vessels
PRIMARY VILLUS
trophoblast only TERTIARY VILLUS
trophoblast + mesoblast + blood vessels

UMBILICAL CORD mucoid connective

tissue (Wharton’s jelly)
FEATURE: vessels and Wharton’s jelly
TISSUE / ORGAN: umbilical cord (TS) umbilical vein

Warton’s jelly is an artefact of “dead”

umbilical cord. What should “living”
cord look like and why is this different?

Before birth the cord has three large

vessels and very little connective tissue. collapsed
After birth the blood flow stops and lumen
without blood pressure the vessels
collapse. The connective tissue swells umbilical arteries
with fluid that leaks from the vessels.
© Dr Carol Lazer, November 2001 – April 2005