Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a very common virus transmitted through sexual contact. There are over 100 different types of HPV, and some are more likely than others to cause health problems, including cancer. HPV infects specific cells called squamous cells, which are normally found in areas such as the skin, mouth, throat, cervix, penis, and …
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A crypt abscess is a collection of specialized immune cells called neutrophils found inside the crypts of the colon. Crypts are small, tube-shaped glands that line the inside of the colon and help it function properly. When neutrophils accumulate within these crypts, it indicates acute (recent onset or active) inflammation. This condition is commonly observed …
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Cryptitis is a word pathologists use to describe inflammation involving the tissue inside the colon. The inflammation is caused by specialized immune cells called neutrophils. It is an example of acute inflammation and is often seen in a condition called active colitis. What does cryptitis look like under the microscope? The tissue on the inside …
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Crypt distortion describes changes that affect the size, shape, and number of crypts in the colon. Crypts are tiny, specialized glands lining the inner surface of the colon. Normally, these crypts are uniform, straight, and evenly spaced, resembling a neat row of test tubes. When crypt distortion occurs, these structures become irregular, shorter, fewer in …
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Follicular neoplasm is a preliminary diagnosis used by pathologists to describe a growth in the thyroid gland made up of cells that look like the follicular cells of the thyroid. This term is most often used after a procedure called a fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), in which a small sample of cells is taken from …
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A pleomorphic lipoma is a noncancerous tumor made of mature fat cells, long, thin spindle cells, and large cells with multiple nuclei. It is a type of lipoma, and it does not spread to other parts of the body. Pleomorphic lipoma usually develops just under the skin of the back of the neck, the upper …
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An enchondroma is a common noncancerous bone tumor made of cartilage, the firm, smooth tissue found in joints. It develops inside a bone, in the hollow center where the bone marrow is. Enchondromas grow very slowly, and many stop growing altogether. They are often found by chance on an X-ray or MRI done for another …
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An osteoblastoma is a rare noncancerous bone tumor. It is made of immature bone, called osteoid, and the cells that make it, called osteoblasts. It makes up about 1% of all tumors that start in bone. Osteoblastoma does not spread to other parts of the body and does not usually turn into cancer. However, it …
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Melanoma in situ is an early, non-invasive form of skin cancer that arises from melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin. In healthy skin, melanocytes sit in a neat row at the bottom of the epidermis — the thin outer layer of the skin. In melanoma in situ, these cells have become cancerous and have grown in abnormal …
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p40 is a specialized protein that helps pathologists identify specific types of cells, especially squamous cells, which are found on surfaces like the skin, the lining of the mouth and throat, and parts of the lungs and urinary tract. p40 is a shortened version (or “isoform”) of another protein called p63, but it is more …
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