Trachea                                              Chart

                                       
Cell types: Ciliated, brush, basal, goblet cells
 

Differential diagnosis:
 All large hollow organs (non-respiratory and respiratory) are likely to be confused with trachea but the main distinguishing feature will be the cartilage in its adventiti aand the presence of pseudostratified columnar epithelium. It may also be confused with bronchus or bronchioles; they tend to be smaller , with smaller cartilage, goblets cells and glands.

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Diagnostic Features:
a. Tissue is hollow and presents with a large lumen which fills more than 1/10h of low power field
b. The epithelium is of pseudostratified variety and there is abundant cartilage of hyaline variety.
c. There is muscular tissue also in adventitia and prominent tracheal submucous glands. Do not expect to see lung tissue or alveoli.
c. Goblet cells are numerous.

Draw your own section here and make your diagnosis by data base selection below

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Database selection: Practical Tissue Gross

Level 1: Select  hollow since the trachea is a hollow organ
Level 2: Select large as opposed to small since lumen fills more than 1/10th of low power field for tissues of rat to man. This will select from database both cartilage and non cartilage containing tubes.
Level 3: Select cartilage. This selects bronchioles, bronchi and trachea which are structures that have cartilage in their adventitia.
Level 4: Select no lung tissue since trachea cannot be seen with sections of the lung. This picks out only trachea and eliminates bronchi and bronchioles.

Note the musculature of he adventitia and its cartilage.

 

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