COURSE INFORMATION

LECTURES

The lecture series has two components: general histology and cell biology. The cell biology component of the course will cover basic principles of cell biology that govern the function of cells. The general histology will begin with a description of the structure and function of the basic tissues and then proceed into a presentation of the structure and function of organs and organ systems. Structure-function will be emphasized in all lectures. The student should prepare for each lecture by reading the pertinent material in the textbook. The required textbook is Histology: A Text and Atlas, 5th edition by Ross and Pawlina, Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins.

CLINICAL CORRELATIONS

Two or three clinical correlations are presented each block. Clinical correlations serve two purposes. They serve to introduce the student to the faculty of the Pathology Department and other clinical faculty, and they allow the student to understand the clinical relevance of histology.

LABORATORY

The laboratory periods will be used to study microscope slides in the loan sets in accordance with directions in the laboratory guide. The student should read the directions in the laboratory guide as well as review pertinent lecture material in preparation for each laboratory period. Each laboratory session will begin with a conference using video imaging systems to introduce the material which the student is to cover during the laboratory session.

The student may find that it is not possible to always complete a laboratory assignment during the allotted time. In such cases, it is the student’s responsibility to complete the laboratory assignment outside the regular laboratory period.

Attendance is not mandatory in the laboratory, but it is strongly encouraged. Those students who are absent habitually from the laboratory frequently make borderline or failing grades on examinations.

Each student will be held responsible for the safe-keeping of all microscope loan slides issued for use during the course and will be charged the replacement cost for each broken, damaged, or lost slide.

DEMONSTRATION MATERIALS

In addition to a loan set of microscope slides, the following demonstration materials will be available for study. These should be used to supplement the study of the glass slides. It is the student’s responsibility to use these materials as they are made available during the course.

  1. Microscopic images on kodachromes or the departmental web site: Images for a particular block will be available for study throughout that block. Kodachromes will be available in the laboratories for study or students may access the histology material through "teaching resources" on the Department of Structural and Cellular Biology’s web site. The student does not need to study both sets of material. While the material presented is not exactly the same, study of either set of materials will prepare the student for the kodachrome practical examinations.

  2. Demonstration microscope slides: Special slides will be available for study as called for in the laboratory guide. A complete set of demonstration slides for each block will be available for study the week before a block examination.

  3. Electron micrographs: In addition to the electron micrographs present on the kodachromes and Departmental web site, various electron micrographs illustrating fine structural features of cells and tissues will be on display in the hallway outside the teaching laboratories.

REVIEW SESSIONS (Block reviews and look-alike sessions)

Review sessions which are presented by the Histology Faculty will be held the day before each block examination in the main lecture hall. Students find these sessions to be quite valuable.

Look alike sessions are small group sessions designed to help students distinguish and differentiate tissues which microscopically are quite similar. These sessions are held the week prior to block examinations.
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