Explains how to recognise the cuboidal follicular cells of the thyroid on an H&E slide, covering the staining colours of nuclei, cytoplasm and colloid. Lists features to look for, such as round follicles filled with pink colloid and single-layered cuboidal lining with central nuclei, and notes the parafollicular C cells. Contrasts the appearance with active and inactive glands, where cell height changes, and points back to the endocrine theory topics.
Inside: 1 section · 1 min
Topic 91 of 127 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Cytology (Dental Medicine, Year 1). The free AceMed note covers it in 1 section, about 115 words (1 min of reading).
In this note
Introduction
Introduction
This slide shows the cuboidal cell shape. The thyroid is built of round follicles lined by a single layer of follicular cells.
Stain
H&E: nuclei blue-purple, cytoplasm and colloid pink.
How to recognise it
Round follicles of different sizes, filled with smooth pink colloid.
Each follicle is lined by one layer of cells about as tall as they are wide.
Round nuclei in the centre of each cell.
Capillaries and a few pale parafollicular (C) cells between the follicles.
Don't confuse it with: an active thyroid, where the cells become low columnar and the colloid thinner, or an inactive one, where they flatten. Cell height follows activity.
Theory: topics 9 and 40 (endocrine glandular epithelium).
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