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How to Study Histology
Histology, also known as microscopic anatomy, is almost always considered a detailed and extremely high-volume course. The main goal in learning how to study histology is mental organization of the function, appearance, and structure of the biological organs and tissues. Try the following study strategies and tips to help you learn how to study histology.
Study Tip #1 - Correlate a tissues structure with its function.
- Most organic tissues and organs are organized in layers, lobules, chambers, or some type of architecture that assists in carrying out specific functions. For example, fenestrated capillaries have little pores to allow the passage of certain materials; and simple squamous-kertanized epithelium often has a protective function. In both cases, the anatomy exists for some purpose. Learning these relationships will make it easier to recall the information.
Study Tip #2 - Remeber that the slides are only flat pictures of 3D objects.
- Cells are dynamic structures that move in different directions. Realize that an organelle or nucleus may not show up in some slides because it was not in the plane of section at the time it was taken. An organelle may also look smaller than usual, lack an expected feature, or be oddly shaped in some sections depending on the cut. For this reason, it is necessary to have more than one identifying feature for each cell type and take all characteristics in consideration. Use an atlas like Histology: A Text and Atlas
to practice identifying cells, tissues, and organs.
Study Tip #3 - Make charts.
- This is most useful when studying similar tissues. Compare and contrast the Meibomian, Parotid, and Mammary glands for example. List out their location, secretion, cell layers, and function. The goal here is to take different tissues and point out what they have in common versus the characteristics that distinguish them.
Study Tip #4 - Know the stain.
- When you are completely stumped on an image question, try to think about the staining method. For example, a basic dye will cause basophilic substances to appear dark blue. Structures like the nucleus and ribosome usually take on this color because they contain nucleic acids. Small clues like this may help you narrow down your answer choices.
Study Tip #5 - Think about the scale.
- When examining a histology image, try to think about the scale of the objects. In an image of leukocytes, there are usually red blood cells in the background. Knowing that a red blood cell is about 7 µm, will provide some information in identifying different white blood cells by comparing their relative sizes (Note: Lymphocyte = ~8µm, Neutrophil = ~12µm, and Monocyte = ~16µm). Now try this when comparing ribosomes and glycogen; or microtubules versus intermediate filaments.
Study Tip #6 - Compare slides side-by-side.
- You may want to study an image of the Parotid gland next to the Submandibular gland for example, to look for common and contrasting features. It is often common to confuse slides from a previous Histology chapter with a current one. Take the apocrine gland from the Integument chapter versus a lactating mammary gland from the Reproductive section, both are very similar at first glance. The best method to study in these situations are to find slides across different topics and examine them side-by-side. Also, use the background features in the images to assist in identifying the tissues, like connective tissue type or specific cells in the surroundings.
