Normal Superficial Squamous Cells of Cervix

• The nuclei are small, dark, and pyknotic with no visible nuclear detail.

• The cytoplasm may be pink, slightly orange or blue (cyanophilic).

• Wisps of mucus and occasional neutrophils are present in the background.

Normal Intermediate Cells of Cervix

• These cells lie beneath the superficial layer.

• The cytoplasm is generally cyanophilic.

• The nuclei are round but are not as pyknotic as those of superficial cells.

• The chromatin is finely granular and nucleoli are not visible.

Normal Squamous Parabasal Cells of Cervix

• The cells have a nucleus with finely granular chromatin.

• The nuclei have a delicate membrane and no visible nucleolus.

• The N:C is much higher than that of the intermediate cell.

HPV Change• The arrows point to a

koilocyte.• The cell is binucleate

with large, hyperchromatic nuclei with granular and clumped chromatin.

• The halo is irregular and shows a sharp margin.

•human papillomavirus infection (HPV) •types 6 and 11 associated with low grade lesions •types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35 etc associated with high grade lesions •cigarette smoking may also play a role

Degenerative changes

• Degenerative changes.

• Note the pyknotic nuclei with small perinuclear halos.

• There is no peripheral thickening at the edge of the halo.

• Do not confuse this finding with viral (koilocytotic) change.

Bacterial Vaginosis

• Generally Gardnerella vaginosis

• Bacteria are seen in the background, mainly on the squamous cells resulting in clue cells.

• Polymorphs are absent or rare.