Summary
Scanning electron microscopy has been used in the study of five cases of the cervix uteri: two normal cases; one case of indirect metaplasia; one case of carcinoma in situ whose colposcopic examination showed an erosio vera surrounded by leucoplasia, mosaic, base, and an area of atipic transformation zone and one case of invasive carcinoma.
The normal ploystratified epithelium is characterized by a smooth surface that abounds in microridges. The cells are polygonal with well defined limits which stand out above the cytoplasm.
The secretory cell's surface is covered by microvilli and have an ample intercellular space with long intercellular connecting bridges.
In the case of invasive carcinoma and carcinoma in situ, the surface lacks the microridges and is occupied by multiple evaginations and invaginations of diverse length and size never seen in normal polystratified epithelium. These surface alterations seem to be patognomonic of the neoplasic cells.
Resumen
Se estudian con el microscopio electronico de scanning 5 casos de cuellos uterinos pertenecientes a 2 casos de normalidad, 1 caso de metaplasia indirecta, un carcinoma in situ cuya imagen colposcopica era una erosio vera rodeada de imagenes de leucoplasia mosaico, base y zona de transformación atipica, y un caso de carcinoma invasor.
El epitelio poliestratificado normal se caracteriza por una superficie lisa toda ella ocupada por abundantisimos microridges, las celulas son poligonales y de limites claros que resaltan sobre el citoplasma.
Las celulas secretoras poseen una superficie llena de microvillis, con un amplio espacio intercelular con largos puentes intercelulares de conexión. En casos de carcinoma in situ e invasor la superficie carecia de microridges y estas estaban ocupadas por innumerables evaginaciones e invaginaciones de forma longitud y tamaño diversos, nunca observados en el epitelio normal.
Estas alteraciones de la superficie parecen ser patognomonicas de las celulas neoplasicas.
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References
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Bonilla-Musoles, F., Hernandez-Yago, J. & Torres, J.V. Scanning electron microscopy of the cervix uteri. Arch. Gynak. 216, 91–97 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00668384
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00668384