Summary
The virtual histology slide box provides an introduction to the histology of general tissue types and specific organ systems. Each specimen is accompanied by a caption that provides information on staining, magnification, and the structures shown. Virtual microscopy is provided in cooperation with Smart Zoom. Complementary to this Article, the virtual histopathology slide box contains numerous images of captioned histopathological specimens with the same virtual microscopy feature.
General histology
General histology distinguishes between four basic types of animal tissue.
- Epithelial tissue
- Connective tissue
- Nervous tissue
- Muscle tissue
The following sections provide a range of examples for subtypes of each of these four basic types of tissue. Specific organ tissues are presented in the section on histology of organ systems below.
Epithelial tissue
Surface epithelium
Simple squamous epithelium
Intestinal serosa (= visceral peritoneum)
Pulmonary alveoli (type1 alveolar cells as an example of specialized epithelium)
Nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium
Tongue
Esophagus
Keratinized stratified squamous epithelium
Skin (epidermis)
Simple cuboidal epithelium
Kidney (epithelium of the proximal tubule)
Ovarian surface epithelium
Stratified cuboidal epithelium
Duct epithelium of sebaceous glands
Simple columnar epithelium
Colon epithelium
Pseudostratified columnar epithelium
Respiratory epithelium
Stratified columnar epithelium
Conjunctiva
Glandular epithelium
Acinar glands (serous glands)
Tubular glands (mucus glands)
Tubuloacinar glands (seromucous glands)
Tubuloalveolar glands
Tubuloalveolar glands in serous glands (lacrimal gland)
Tubuloalveolar glands in mucus glands (Brunner glands in the duodenum)
Connective tissue
Connective tissue
Loose connective tissue
Submucosa of the esophagus
Dense connective tissue
Stroma of cornea
Adipose tissue
White adipose tissue
Atrophic thymus
Cartilaginous tissue
Hyaline cartilage
Elastic cartilage
Bone tissue
Fetal bone (woven/fibrous bone)
Bone formation by intramembranous ossification
Bone formation by endochondral ossification
Mature bone (secondary/lamellar bone)
Compact bone
Trabecular bone
Muscle tissue
Nervous tissue
Histology of organ systems
The following sections will provide examples of these specific organ tissues:
- Organs of the circulatory system
- Respiratory tract and lungs
- Blood and hematopoiesis
- Lymphoid organs
- Digestive system
- Accessory organs of the digestive tract
- Kidneys and the urinary tract
- Female reproductive organs
Slides of fetal tissue can be found in both the individual organ sections and a separate section on fetal histology to enable quick comparison of fetal and adult tissues in the anatomical context as well as provide to easy reference in the embryological context.
Organs of the circulatory system
Respiratory tract and lungs
Blood and hematopoiesis
Blood
Blood smear
Blood cells
Hematopoiesis
Hematopoiesis in adults
Fetal hematopoiesis (in the liver)
Lymphoid organs
Primary lymphoid organs
Bone marrow
Thymus
Thymus in children
Thymus in adults
Secondary lymphoid organs
Spleen
Lymph nodes
Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)
Tonsils
Intestinal MALT (e.g., Peyer patch in the ileum)
Digestive system
Accessory organs of the digestive tract
Kidneys and the urinary tract
Kidney
Urinary tract
Ureter
Urinary bladder
Urethra
Urethra (female)
Urethra (male)
For the male urethra, see transverse section of the penis below.
Female reproductive organs
Male reproductive organs
Testes
Seminal tract and accessory glands
Epididymis
Vas deferens
Prostate
Transverse section of the penis
Spermatozoa in ejaculate
Endocrine organs
Skin with skin appendages and mammary glands
Skin with skin appendages
There are two types of skin: hairy skin and glabrous (hairless) skin. Hairy skin is less keratinized than glabrous skin and contains all types of skin appendages (eccrine sweat glands, apocrine sweat glands, sebaceous glands, hair, and nails). In contrast, glabrous skin is highly keratinized and only contains eccrine sweat glands.
Glabrous (hairless) skin
Hairy skin
Mammary gland
Mammary glands are modified apocrine sweat glands and are therefore classified as skin appendages.
Sensory organs
Fetal histology
Tooth development
Lungs
Liver
Kidneys and adrenal glands
Ossification
For images of bone tissue during ossification, see sections on bone formation by intramembranous ossification and bone formation by endochondral ossification.