Desmin is a protein found inside cells that form muscle tissue. It helps provide structure and support within muscle cells, allowing them to contract and function properly. Desmin is part of a group of proteins called intermediate filaments, which form a supportive framework in the cell. It is especially important in smooth, skeletal, and cardiac …
Read More »
Chromatin in pathology refers to the appearance of the DNA-protein complex within the nucleus of a cell. This complex can provide valuable insights into the cell’s health, function, and potential abnormalities. How chromatin is organized and presented can indicate various disease states, including cancer. Terms used to describe chromatin When examining cells under the microscope, …
Read More »
Chronic inflammation is the body’s long-term or delayed defense to injury or disease. Cells from the body’s immune system take part in this response. These cells include lymphocytes, plasma cells, eosinophils, and histiocytes. What causes chronic inflammation? Chronic inflammation can be caused by various factors and often results from a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, …
Read More »
A cholesterol cleft is a small open space filled with cholesterol, a type of fat that can only be seen under a microscope. Where do cholesterol clefts come from? Our body is made up of trillions of cells. Each cell is like a tiny water-filled bag with an outer wall that surrounds the soft parts …
Read More »
Pathologists describe cells as “cribriform” when they grow and connect in a way that forms a pattern of small holes between the cells. This growth pattern, visible only under a microscope, appears in many types of tumors and is abnormal. However, the cribriform pattern itself is not a diagnosis. Instead, pathologists consider this pattern alongside …
Read More »
CD34 is a protein found on the surface of specific cells in your body, mainly stem cells (cells that can develop into various other types of cells), endothelial cells (blood vessel cells), and specific blood-forming cells. It plays an important role in cell growth and development, especially in forming new blood vessels and blood cells. …
Read More »
In medicine, the word benign describes something that is not cancer. Most often, it refers to abnormal growths or tumors — abnormal masses of cells — that stay in place and do not spread to other parts of the body. Pathologists, who are the doctors who examine tissues and cells under a microscope, use the …
Read More »
In pathology, the term atypical describes cells that look unusual or abnormal under the microscope. This term refers to changes observed in the shape, size, or structure of cells, particularly affecting the cell’s cytoplasm (the body of the cell) or the nucleus (the part that holds the genetic material). Does atypical mean malignant? No, atypical …
Read More »
Carcinoma in situ (CIS) is an early form of cancer in which abnormal cells are confined to the epithelium, the layer of tissue where they first developed, and have not yet spread into the surrounding tissue. “In situ” is Latin for “in its original place.” Because the cells have not broken through the basement membrane — the …
Read More »
Carcinoma is a type of cancer that starts in epithelial cells — the cells that line the surfaces and cavities of the body, both inside and out. Epithelial cells cover the skin, line the digestive tract, and form the inner surfaces of organs such as the lungs, breasts, prostate, and cervix. Because epithelial cells are …
Read More »
