The muscularis is composed of smooth muscle fibers. The arrangement of the fibers into outer longitudinal and inner circular layers many not be easily seen in the slide. Also the amount of fibrous tissue is increased in the section becuase the sample was takes from a patient with uterine prolapse. No glands are present in the vagina.
The ectocervix (portio vaginalis) is lined by a non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium. The superficial cells have intracytoplasmic glycogen (clear cytoplasm).
The endocervical surface and the infoldings "glands" are lined by a simple columnar mucin-producing epithelium. The cytoplasm is light blue. The nuclei are small and present in the basal portion of the cells. A few ciliated cells may be found in the lining.
The transformation zone has numerous patches lined by a non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium reflecting either squamous re-epithelialization or squamous metaplasia. Some of these patches of squamous epithelium occlude the openings of the endocervical infoldings leading to the formation of Nabothian cysts.
The lamina propria has numerous lymphocytes. The wall of the cervix has a few smooth muscle bundles.
The lower portion is the basalis which usually exhibits minimal morphologic changes during the endometrial cycle.
The superficial two-thirds of the endometrium, the functionalis, has tubular (straight) glands with minimal tortuosity. They are lined by a simple columnar epithelium which may be pseudostratified in some areas. Numerous mitoses are present reflecting the proliferative activity. Some of the lining cells, especially those close to the surface openings of the glands, may have cilia.
The stroma is composed of cells with minimal cytoplasm and small round or oval nuclei. Mitoses may be seen in the stromal cells.
The endometrial-myometrial junction is somewhat sharp. The myometrium is composed of smooth muscle fibers and contains numerous large vessels. The serosa may not be present on your slide.
The endometrium is thicker than the one you examined in the previous slide. The glands are more numerous and they are tortuous. The lining has numerous infoldings giving them a serrated or saw-toothed appearance. No mitoses are present in the lining cells. Some of the lumens contain an eosinophilic secretion.
Prominent spiral arterioles may be present in the stroma close to the surface. Many of these arteriole are surrounded by a "cuff" of pre-decidual stromal cells. The pre- decidual cells are larger than the stromal cells seen in the previous slide. They have a pale pink cytoplasm. Some of the glands in the basalis do not show these changes.
Slide 63, Fallopian tube: Some of the slides may have two lumens in one section due to the tortuous course of some portion of the oviduct. The mucosal layer lies directly on the muscularis. It is composed of luminal epithelial cells and scanty lamina propria. The lining is simple columnar. Many of the lining cells have prominent cilia. Some of the cells are non-ciliated. A few slender and darkly stained intercalary, or peg cells are present among the other cells. Also a few lymphocytes are present within the lining. The lamina propria contains a few lymphocyte. The muscularis is composed of smooth muscle fibers which are poorly organized into outer longitudinal and inner circular layers. The serosa has a smooth flat mesothelial lining. Some of the slides may contain a few cystically dilated structures beneath the serosa. These are Walthard rests. They are lined by a transitional-type epithelium that may become attenuated.