The more I taught histology, the more my students and I came to realize that most histology atlases are “picture books” containing illustrations, photomicrographs, and captions explaining what the tissue was and what could be seen. However, regardless of the atlas I used in class, something always seemed to be missing. No atlas presented a way for students to learn histology—to learn how to identify an unknown histological specimen. The more my students and I talked, the more I came to realize that someone needed to write a textbook that did just that—taught students how to identify histological specimens. As a result of my students’ prodding and suggestions, this text came to be.

This atlas is designed to help students to develop the investigative skills needed to identify an unknown histological preparation. All the details and theories presented in a histology class are useless if students can’t correctly identify a specimen. This textbook is not intended to stand alone; rather, it is to be used in conjunction with accompanying lecture resources, as well as with material presented in lecture by the professor. The lecture and handouts will present the cellular biology and ultrastructure that are essential in a histology course.

Therefore, in order to meet our stated goals, this book is organized in the following manner:

• Content: This book contains material that is typically taught in a first histology course, whether at the undergraduate or graduate/professional school level. In addition, material normally found in comprehensive histology textbooks is not repeated here. Detailed descriptions of function, ultrastructure, or current research findings are therefore not included.
• Terminology: Histologists are notorious for not having a uniform and universally accepted terminology. However, in this book we have expended great effort to incorporate the terminology endorsed by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists as published in the 1998 Terminologia Anatomica (T.A.). In addition, we have tried to incorporate as much as possible of the new terminology published in the first edition (2008) of the Terminologia Histologica: International Terms for Human Cytology and Histology (TH). However, if we have missed one or more of the new terms, you have our apologies, and we will do our best to correct any omissions in subsequent editions. Because it will take some time for the newly accepted terminology to become universal in its usage, we have, where applicable, provided the older terminology in parentheses.
• Figure Reference Locators: The reader will note that figure callouts are in a different color from the rest of the paragraph (Figure 1-1). This design will help you to mark your spot as you move from text to figure and then back to the text.
• Photomicrographs: As you progress from the four basic tissues to organ systems, the manner in which you examine histological preparations should change. Oil-immersion and high-dry objectives are used less frequently, and scanning power is used more frequently. Therefore photomicrographs presented early in the text were taken using some combination of low, medium, and high power. However, as you progress through the text, the appearance of photomicrographs taken with high-power or oil-immersion lenses becomes less and less frequent, thereby matching the normal progression of specimen examination in a typical histology class.
• Artifacts and Staining: The photomicrographs in this textbook are presented in a format that will be close to what you will encounter in the laboratory. Most specimens were taken from standard student sets, so there will be very few photomicrographs with exotic stains that would seldom, if ever, be seen in the laboratory. In addition, specimens with artifacts, variations attributable to plane of section, specimen thickness, and staining imperfections are included. We hope that the photomicrographs included in this text will therefore approximate what you will actually see in the laboratory more than any other atlas available at this time.
• Pen-and-Ink Drawings: First-time histology students often have a difficult time focusing their attention on the most important details of a specimen. As Ron Guastaferri and I pieced together this book, we spent a considerable amount of time discussing what students need to know to be able to correctly identify each specimen presented. We decided which details should and should not be included in each of Ron’s line drawings that accompany the photomicrographs in this text. As a result, not every detail is repeated in the pen-and-ink drawings—only those that are essential for the learning and identification process. The field of view of a particular drawing will replicate exactly what is shown in the corresponding photomicrograph, even though not all elements of the photo will be represented with the same amount of detail in the drawing. The student should use these pen-and-ink drawings as “road maps” to navigate the photomicrographs. They should help students develop the ability to quickly scan and identify key structures on any specimen slide.
• Labels: All too often, the placement of labels on photomicrographs or illustrations obscures important structures. Therefore all photomicrographs are unlabelled. Labels, where needed, are found on the accompanying pen-and-ink illustration. Anything labeled on the pen-and-ink illustration will be found in italics within the description of the photomicrograph.
• Lack of Label Repetition: As a teacher and an author I assume that students will remember what was covered earlier in my course or in the textbook. Granted, repetition is important for learning—but so is self-testing. Therefore material that has been covered in chapters dealing with the four basic tissues is not labeled later in the text. For instance, the histological characteristics of smooth muscle are covered in Chapter 6. Therefore when smooth muscle is encountered in a subsequent chapter (such as Chapter 16, Gastrointestinal System) it is not labeled on the pen-and-ink drawings. However, the first time the student encounters a reference to smooth muscle in Chapter 16, the student is referred back to the appropriate section within Chapter 6 for review of the histological characteristics of smooth muscle. Students at Augustana who have used in-class versions of this material have found this teaching pedagogy to be quite effective for the retention of important material. Indeed, it was my histology students who convinced me to eliminate labels for material covered in the chapters dealing with the four basic tissues that is repeated later in the text.
• Text: I have done my best to make the text student friendly. Therefore important items are presented in bulleted lists throughout the book as much as possible. In addition, important identification features of the tissues and organs discussed are listed in italics for easy and quick reference.
• Commonly Misidentified Tissues: Since my first histology class at Augustana, I have been accumulating a list of mistakes made by students on laboratory examinations. As a result of this list, I have been able to compile a series of boxes entitled “Commonly Misidentified Tissues” within various chapters of this book. These boxes review the histological characteristics of tissues that are similar in appearance and that therefore may be easily misidentified. These tips are intended to help prevent students from repeating these common mistakes.
• Study Tips: Students are presented with a series of suggestions that will aid them in developing a solid studying methodology.
• Logic Trees: Students are given a logical series of steps that will help them to arrive at a correct identification of an unknown specimen. These steps are organized into a series of simple “yes” or “no” questions that should help the student to pursue a line of logical thinking that will aid in the identification of an unknown specimen.

Finally, this textbook is not the product of only one person’s labor. Special thanks must be given to a wide range of individuals, without whom this book never would have come to fruition.

• Anne Madura Earel – my very first “editor” for this text while she was a student at Augustana. Anne helped by editing the first rough draft that was pieced together more than 7 years ago.
• Kathryn Gray—another student editor from Augustana. Kat’s input was timely and extremely valuable as this project neared completion.
• Ron Guastaferri—friend, former student, and illustrator beyond compare! Ron saw and understood my vision for this book from the first, and jumped in with no questions asked. Ron—you stuck with me through thick and thin and held on to the vision of this project when others would have jumped ship. Without your excellent artistic work, input, and patience, this book never could have made the transition from idea to reality.
• All the histology students whom I have had the pleasure of teaching at Augustana since I joined the faculty in 1975. Without their initial suggestions and prodding, I never would have put together the first manual, nor would I have created a prospectus. Even though it has been a while, I would like to give special thanks to those first students who suggested I write a histology atlas way back in the spring semester of 1984.
  

        Bill Hoover, M.D. (class of ’84)

        Krista Dutton Scoggins, D.V.M. (class of ’85)

        Sonya Eiben Mariano, M.D. (class of ’85)

        Pete Vienne, M.D. (class of ’85)

• The various students from my histology classes throughout the years who have performed “field tests” on various aspects of this text as it was being formulated in my mind—especially the histology classes of the spring semesters of the 2002–2003 and 2005–2006 academic years. Your input was valuable and resulted in numerous additions and alterations in the final project. Thank you!

As you read through this book, please be sure to contact me with any and all corrections, questions, and suggestions.

           Bob Tallitsch

           Professor Emeritus and Writer in Residence

           Biology Department 

           Augustana College

           Rock Island, IL 61201-2296

           RobertTallitsch@augustana.edu