| • This close up view shows a normally maturing stratified squamous epithelium.
• The red arrow points to the basal cell layer.
• The blue arrow shows parabasal cells.
• The green arrow identifies an intermediate cell.
• The yellow arrow shows a superficial cell. |
| Normal Cervix |
| Etiology |
• Not applicable. |
| Pathogenesis |
• Not applicable. |
| Epidemiology |
• Not applicable. |
| Clinical |
• Not applicable. |
| General Gross Description |
• Endocervical canal measures approximately 3.0 cms in length • Endocervical canal lined by deep longitudinal folds and abundant mucus • Internal cervical os is not clear cut as the endometrial-endocervical junction is not sharp • Somewhere near the end of the endocervical canal is the squamocolumnar junction • Squamocolumnar junction is visualized by pink endocervical epithelium meeting grey squamous mucosa • Supplied by uterine arteries; drain to pelvic lymph nodes |
| General Micro Description |
• Endocervix is lined by a single layer of mucin-secreting cells with small often basilar nuclei and mucin filled cytoplasm. • Also may see ciliated cells and subcolumnar reserve cells. • Neuroendocrine cells can be detected with immunohistochemical staining.
• Despite the appearance of glands and the use of the term endocervical glands the epithelium is
simply deeply clefted. • Exocervix covered by stratified squamous non-keratinizing epithelium. (See Pap smear normals and squamous metaplasia for more details). |
| Reference |
• Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 5th ed. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1994, pp. 1024-1035.
|
