Apocrine cells are a type of glandular cell found in specific areas of the body, particularly in the skin. Under the microscope, apocrine cells are large and round with a visible central nucleolus (a small structure inside the nucleus). Their cytoplasm, the material surrounding the nucleus, often looks bright pink on a hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) …
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The term oncocytic is used by pathologists to describe cells that appear bright pink under the microscope when stained with a routine stain called hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). These cells look pink because their cytoplasm (the body of the cell) is packed with mitochondria, which are small structures that produce energy for the cell. The …
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The breast is made up of glands that can produce milk, ducts that carry milk to the nipple, and supporting fatty and fibrous tissue. A wide range of changes can develop in the breast, and most are not cancer. When tissue is removed from the breast, a pathologist examines it under a microscope and describes …
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A basaloid neoplasm is a tumor made up of cells that look dark blue under the microscope. These cells are called basaloid because they resemble the basal cells normally found at the very bottom of the epithelium, which is the thin layer of tissue that lines many surfaces in the body. The term basaloid neoplasm …
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A spindle cell neoplasm is a tumour made up of spindle-shaped cells, which are cells that are longer than they are wide. Under the microscope, these cells look like elongated ovals or grains of rice. The term spindle cell neoplasm describes how the cells look, not the exact type of tumour. Many different tumours contain …
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What is Hyams grade? The Hyams grade is a system that divides olfactory neuroblastomas into four levels or grades in order to help predict how the tumour will behave over time. Hyams grade 1 and 2 tumours are called low-grade while Hyams grade 3 and 4 tumours are called high-grade. The Hyams grade is important …
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What is cartilage? Cartilage is a special ‘elastic’ type of tissue which means that can be bent or compressed (put under pressure) without breaking. Where is cartilage normally found? Cartilage is found throughout the body although most cartilage is found between bones where it helps form a cushion that protects the ends of the bones …
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Synaptophysin is a protein found in certain types of cells, particularly those in the nervous system and in neuroendocrine cells, which are specialized cells that release hormones in response to nerve signals. Synaptophysin is located on small storage sacs called synaptic vesicles, which are used to send messages between nerve cells or to release hormones. Because …
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What does mucinous mean? Mucinous is used in pathology reports to describe the presence of a material called mucin inside cells (intracellular mucin) or in the tissue surrounding the cells (extracellular mucin). Mucin is a protein that is used to make a thick fluid called mucus. Mucin is made by many normal cells throughout the …
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In pathology, the word intracytoplasmic refers to anything found inside the cytoplasm of a cell. The cytoplasm is the jelly-like material inside each cell that surrounds the nucleus. It contains many small structures called organelles, which help the cell function, store energy, and remove waste. When pathologists examine cells under a microscope, they often describe …
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