Cytology and histology

1. To describe the basic components, structure, and function of cells, tissues, and organs.
2. To assimilate the complex characteristics of animal organs as sets of cells grouped into tissues that collaborate in the development of the specific functions of each organ.
3. To apply basic terminology in Cell Biology and Histology, learning to accurately and correctly describe cellular and tissue structures and processes.
4. To manipulate an optical microscope correctly.
5. To recognize the histological structure of different human and animal organs.

Master class programme. Each unit: approximately 50 min

Cytology
1. Concept. Historical considerations. Cell theory. General structure of the eukaryotic cell.
2. CELL SURFACE: Composition and structure of the cell membrane. Membrane differentiations. Intercellular junctions. Membrane transport
3. CYTOSKELETON: Microfilaments. Intermediate filaments. Microtubules. Composition, structure and functions
4. CELL ORGANELLES: Ribosomes. Endoplasmic reticulum. Organization, composition and function. Golgi complex. Organization, function and composition.
5. Lysosomes and peroxisomes. Structure, composition and function. Mitochondria. Organization and function. Cytocentrum or centrosome: organization and function.
6. NUCLEUS: Nuclear envelope and organization of the nuclear content. Nucleolus.
7. Cell life cycle. Cell differentiation. Cell populations. Cell death.

Histology
8. EPITHELIUM: Characteristics. Covering epithelia. Glandular epithelia.
9. CONNECTIVE TISSUES. Classification. Adipose tissue. General characteristics and types.
10. Cartilaginous tissue. Histological organization. Bone. Components . Macroscopic and microscopic structure.
11. BLOOD: Composition. Plasma. Erythrocytes. Leukocytes. Platelets. Hemopoiesis.
12. MUSCLE TISSUE. Striated muscle tissue. Cardiac muscle tissue. Smooth muscle tissue.
13. NERVOUS TISSUE. Neuron. Nerve fibres. Synapse. Neuroglia.

Organography
14. CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM. General structure of blood vessels. Arteries. Veins and capillaries. Heart. Lymphatic vascular system.
15. DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. General characteristics. Oral cavity. Pharynx. Esophagus. Stomach.
16. Intestine. Generalities. Small intestine. Large intestine.
17. Salivary glands. Pancreas. Liver. Gallbladder.
18. RESPIRATORY SYSTEM. General characteristics. Nasal cavity. Larynx. Trachea. Lung. Pleura.
19. URINARY SYSTEM. Kidney. Urinary passages.
20. MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM. Testes. Epididymis. Ductus deferens. Accessory glands
21. FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM: Ovary. Oviduct. Uterus. Vagina.
22. LINPHATIC SYSTEM. General characteristics. Thymus. Lymph node. Spleen.
23. ENDOCRINE SYSTEM. Hypophysis. Thyroid gland. Parathyroid glands. Adrenal glands.
24. NERVOUS SYSTEM. Central nervous system. Meninges. Brain. Spinal cord.
25. Peripheral nervous system: nerves and ganglia. Special senses.


Laboratory practice program
Each practical session will last 2 hours:
1. Photonic and electronic microscopes
2. Epithelial tissue
3. Connective tissue and special connective tissues: adipose tissue, cartilage and bone
4. Muscular tissues
5. Blood and vessels
6-7. Gastro-respiratory system
8-9. Urogenital system
10. Lymphatic and endocrine systems
11. Nervous tissue, nervous system, and sense organs
12. Exam

Basic bibliography:
-BACHA, W. (2012). Colour Atlas of Veterinary Histology. 3rd ed. Wiley-Blackwell
-EURELL, J.A., FRAPPIER, B.L. (2006). Dellmann's Textbook of Veterinary Histology 6th ed. Willey
-GARTNER, L.P. & LEE, L. (2023). Gartner & Hiatt Histología. Atlas en Color y Texto. 8ª ed. Wolters Kluwer
-JUNQUEIRA, L.C., & CARNEIRO J. (2021). Histología Básica: Texto y Atlas. Panamericana.
-KIERSZENBAUM, A. L (2019). Histology and cell biology: an introduction to pathology. 5th ed. Elsevier
-OVALLE, W.K., NAHIRNEY, P.C. (2021) Netter. Histología esencial. Con correlación histopatológica. 3ª ed. Elsevier.
-ROSS, M. H., PAWLINA, W. (2016) Histología, texto y atlas. Correlación con biología molecular celular. 7ª ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
-ROSS, M.H. & PAWLINA, W. (2018). Histology: A text and atlas: with correlated cell and molecular biology. 8th ed.Wolters Kluwer.
-SALGUERO-BODES, F.J., PALLARES-MARTÍNEZ, F.J. (2023) Aughey and Frye’s Comparative Veterinary Histology with Clinical Correlates. 2nd ed. CRC Press.
-YOUNG, B., HEATH, J.W., STEVENS A., BURKITT H. G. (2013). Wheater's Functional Histology: a text and colour atlas. 6th ed. Churchill Livingstone-Elsevier.


Complementary bibliography:
Histology-World. http://www.histology-world.com/
Molecular Expressions Microscopy Primer_ Introduction to Microscopy. http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/
Nikon Microscopy. https://www.microscopyu.com/
The Biology Project. http://www.biology.arizona.edu/
Atlas histológico interactivo. http://www.ujaen.es/investiga/atlas/
Atlas interactivo de histología http://www.unioviedo.es/morfologia/Atlas/es/download.htm.
Martindale’s "The Reference Desk". http://www.martindalecenter.com/Vet_8_Subject.html#Histo-C
Histología. Facultad de Medicina. Universidad de Zaragoza. http://wzar.unizar.es/acad/histologia/
Website of Histology. School of Medicine. Southern Illinois University. http://www.siumed.edu/~dking2/index.htm
Histology Guide virtual histology laboratory. http://www.histologyguide.com/
Atlas de histología vegetal y animal. http://mmegias.webs.uvigo.es/inicio.html

The University Library has the EZproxy service that guarantees access to electronic resources to all the university community.
Likewise, https://busconline.gal is recommended.
In addition, the website http://sfx.bugalicia.org/san/az allows searching for scientific journals and electronic books (with USC credentials). For specific topics, teachers can provide open access articles or recommend searching through PubMed or Google Scholar.

Con01: Recognise the structure and function of different cell types. Understand diversity and recall biological taxonomy.
biological taxonomy.
H/D13: Adequately apply the knowledge and techniques acquired in the different subjects of the degree in order to
analyse a complex situation or concept and find a way to solve it.
Comp01: Develop the ability to organise and plan work appropriately, based on a synthesis and analysis that allow decisions to be made.
Comp04: Act professionally, following ethical principles, scientific rigour and sustainable development.

The teaching methodology of this subject consists in:
• Master classes with ICT support
• Practical lab sessions in groups of 15-20 students and supervised by the teacher
• Seminars • Independent study of each student
• Tutorials
Students will attend the Master classes and will be able to intervene in the debates that arise.
The work in the laboratory practical sessions will be done in groups of 15-20 students. The teacher will make a brief introduction of the work to be done and then each student, with his/her microscope, will study the representative histological slides.
The last laboratory practical session will be devoted to a practical examination of the contents seen during all previous sessions.
There will be posters with basic biosafety and biosecurity measures that will be displayed at the entrance of the laboratory.

In order to take the exam, regular attendance to theoretical sessions and to attend 100% of the practical lab sessions are required.
Activities and percentage in the final score:
-Final exam of the complete subject (Con01; Comp01).............................…………….............50%
-Continuous assessment during practice development through a multiple choice or short answer questionnaire in which they must identify different structures on some projected images (Con01; H/D13)..............................20%
-Practical test in the last practical lab session (Con01; H/D13; Comp01; Comp04)................30%

Evaluation criteria:
The degree of knowledge of the contents taught in the lectures and practices will be evaluated.
-Examinations of the expository part may include several modalities of questions: short questions, multiple answer questions, or true / false questions, where the correct answer (s) must be chosen from several alternatives.
-The practical part will consist of the identification, either by microscope or on slides, of different organs and histological structures with which the students will have worked in the practical sessions.
-Dynamic comprehension questionnaires will be carried out at the end of each practical session (in paper or using Campus Virtual) to strengthen learning of the practical session the students have just completed.
-The final grade will be the result of the average of the three previous concepts, although, in order to make this average, it is necessary to reach at least 50% in each one of the parts.

In cases of fraudulent performance of exercises or tests, the provisions of the “Regulations for evaluating student academic performance and revision of grades” will apply.

Work in the classroom
Master classes ……………………..….....25 hours
Lab practices ………………………..….....20 hours
Seminars.....................................3 hours
Tutorials…………………………………..….....3 hours
Total hours of face-to-face work ….51 hours

Personal work of the student
Individual study ……………………………………………………………….…..50 hours
Preparation of practices …...............................................40 hours
Bibliographic review, library, ….…………………………………………...…6 hours
Exams……………………………….…………………………………..…….…..…....3 hours
Total hours of student work ………………………………….…….........99 hours

TOTAL HOURS OF STUDENT …………………………………………150 HOURS

Students should attend the master classes and practical lab sessions with a positive attitude and active participation.
For further in-depth study of this subject, the student should consult textbooks and histological atlases to help clarifying concepts and abstractions taught in class.

Master class and practical lab sessions attendance cannot be dispensed.