Introduction

Question 1

6 cell shapes

Answer 1

Rounded, polygonal, Fusiform, squamous, cuboidal, columnar

Question 2

Viewing cells: whole cells

Answer 2

Smear

Question 3

Viewing cells: thin slice

Answer 3

Section

Question 4

Viewing cells: thick slice eg bone

Answer 4

Ground disc

Question 5

Most common dye combination

Answer 5

Haematoxylin and eosin
Cell nuclei blue
Cytoplasm = pink

Question 6

Use of PAS

Answer 6

Sugars eg goblet cells

Question 7

Use of Van Gieson

Answer 7

Elastic

Question 8

Use of trichrome

Answer 8

3 types of cells

Question 9

Use of alcian blue

Answer 9

Mucins

Question 10

Cell lifespan: days

Answer 10

Lining of gut

Question 11

Cell lifespan: months

Answer 11

Most tissues eg erythrocytes, skin, connective tissue

Question 12

Cell lifespan: years

Answer 12

Bones and tendons

Question 13

Cell lifespan: nearly whole life

Answer 13

Skeletal muscle

Question 14

Cell lifespan: Whole life

Answer 14

Nerves and brain, cardiac muscle, germ cells

Question 15

Types of tissue

Answer 15

Epithelia, muscle, supporting tissue, nerves, germ cells

Question 16

3 cytoskeleton filaments

Answer 16

Microfilaments, microtubules, intermediate filaments

Question 17

Microfilaments

Answer 17

5nm diameter actin
Globular G-actin polymerises into filamentous F-actin. Forms a bracing mesh (cell cortex) on the inner surface of cell membrane

Question 18

Microtubules

Answer 18

25nm diameter tubulin proteins.
All cells except erythrocytes (as don’t divide) , made of alpha and beta tubulin which arrange in groups of 13 to form hollow tubes. Scaffold for chromosomes in meiosis and mitosis

Question 19

Intermediate filaments

Answer 19

10nm diameter
6 types of protein (specific functions not known), anchored to transmembrane proteins, spread tensile forces through tissues, useful to tell cell types apart

Question 20

Cytokeratins

Answer 20

Epithelia cells

Question 21

Desmin

Answer 21

Myocytes

Question 22

Glial fibrillary acidic protein

Answer 22

Astrocytic glial cells

Question 23

Neurofilaments protein

Answer 23

Neurons

Question 24

Nuclear lamina

Answer 24

Nuclei of all cells

Question 25

Vimentin

Answer 25

Mesoderm cells

Question 26

Perinuclear hoff

Answer 26

Perinuclear ‘hoff’ due to Golgi body in plasma cell

Question 27

A 42 year old man is suspected of having haemochromatosis, a condition that causes iron to accumulate in the liver. A pathologist examines a liver biopsy from this patient. Which of the following may be used to stain iron blue in histological sections?

Answer 27

Perls’ blue

Question 28

A scientist uses an unknown stain on a group of cells under the microscope he sees that the nuclei have all turned blue. What stain has been used?

Answer 28

Haemotoxylin