UNSW Embryology

Human Menstral Cycle Smears

Secretory

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Menstrual Cycle

Smears

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This Page relates to samples of normal Human vaginal smears during Menstrual cycle.
Images are taken from the teaching posters used in the Embryology Practical Classes, School of Anatomy.
Smear images are best viewed in thousands of colours.

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Smears
Menstrual Cycle Homepage

Day 23-28
Late Secretory, premenstrual

stratum spinosum cells (blue) mainly with a few stratum corneum cells (red). Clustering of cells occurs at this stage and both leukocytes and bacteria are prevelant.

Human Vaginal Smears

Stratum corneum (eosinophilic, red) and stratum spinosum (basophilic, blue) cells throughout the menstrual cycle.

Observe cell size, proportion of pyknotic nuclei, stain intensity and cell morphology. Leukocyte number is variable, but not a reliable criteria.

Day 23-28	Late Secretory, premenstrual
stratum spinosum cells (blue) mainly with a few stratum corneum cells (red). Clustering of cells occurs at this stage and both leukocytes and bacteria are prevelant.