What is the difference between endocervix and Exocervix?
The endocervix is the opening of the cervix that leads into the uterus. It is covered with glandular cells. The exocervix (or ectocervix) is the outer part of the cervix that can be seen by the doctor during a speculum exam. It is covered in squamous cells.
What is the epithelium of the endocervix?
The upper cervix (endocervix) is lined by a simple columnar epithelium that contains mucous-secreting cells. In contrast, the lower cervix (ectocervix) is lined by a stratified squamous epithelium. The transition point between these two epithelia is known as the external os.
What is Ectocervical epithelium?
The epithelium of normal ectocervix and TZ is composed of stratified squamous epithelium formed by continuous movement of cells from the basal to superficial layers. Upward movement is accompanied by cell differentiation, cell flattening and expression of genes for structural proteins such as keratins11.
What is the squamous epithelium?
Stratified squamous epithelium: This type of epithelium usually has protective functions, including protection against microorganisms from invading underlying tissue and/or protection against water loss. The outer layer of your skin (the epidermis) is made of stratified squamous epithelial cells.
What is Squamocolumnar junction of cervix?
The squamocolumnar junction (SCJ) (fig. 5) is defined as the junction between the squamous epithelium and the columnar epithelium. Its location on the cervix is variable. The SCJ is the result of a continuous remodeling process resulting from uterine growth, cervical enlargement and hormonal status.
What is endocervical transformation zone?
The area where cervical cells are most likely to become cancerous is called the transformation zone. It is the area just around the opening of the cervix that leads on to the endocervical canal. The endocervical canal is the narrow passageway that runs up from the cervix into the womb.
What are endocervical cells?
Endocervical cells are mucus-producing glandular cells located within the inner cervix (endocervix). During a Pap smear, your doctor or nurse may take a sample of these cells, but not always.
What is the lining of the cervix?
The cervix has several different linings. The endocervical canal is lined with glandular epithelium, and the ectocervix is lined with squamous epithelium. The squamous epithelium meets the glandular epithelium at the squamocolumnar junction (SCJ).
Whats the difference between CIN3 and CGIN?
CIN is an abnormality of the squamous cells. CGIN, which stands for cervical glandular intra-epithelial neoplasia, is an abnormality of the glandular cells. It’s much less common that CIN, but it’s similar. It’s a pre-cancerous abnormality which, again, is fully treatable, if it is detected.
What is a Type 2 cervix?
Listen to pronunciation. Moderately abnormal cells are found on the surface of the cervix. CIN 2 is usually caused by certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) and is found when a cervical biopsy is done. CIN 2 is not cancer, but may become cancer and spread to nearby normal tissue if not treated.
What are the 6 types of epithelial tissue?
The number of cell layers and cell types together give rise to 6 different types of epithelial tissue.
- Simple squamous epithelia.
- Simple cuboidal epithelia.
- Simple columnar epithelia.
- Stratified squamous epithelia.
- Stratified cuboidal epithelia.
- Stratified columnar epithelia.
What is Squamocolumnar junctional mucosa?
A demarcation line, the squamocolumnar (SC) junction or “Z-line”, represents the normal esophagogastric junction where the squamous mucosa of the esophagus and columnar mucosa of the stomach meet (Figure 2).
Are endocervical cells normal?
It’s standard to have endocervical cells, and their presence does not indicate cancer or precancer. However, if cancer cells are detected in the endocervix, your Pap smear may indicate some form of carcinoma. Adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma are the two most common cell types for cancers of the cervix.
What are epithelial cells in Pap smear?
Cervical epithelial cell abnormalities in the Pap smear represent a spectrum of intraepithelial lesions that lie along the pathway, from mild-to-severe dyskaryosis to invasive cancer. [2] The significance as well as consequence of cervical cytology with atypia or dyskaryosis has been extensively studied.
What is cervical squamous epithelium?
The surface of the cervix is made up of two different types of cells: squamous epithelial cells (the lining cells of the outer part of the cervix, or ectocervix) columnar epithelial cells (the lining cells of the inner part of the cervix, or endocervix)