THE SYLLABUS FOR HISTOLOGY AND
EMBRYOLOGY
Applicable Students: Six-year system oversea students in the department of clinical
medicine.
Class Hours: It takes 80 hours to study this course. The study of theory needs 36
hours; the study of experimental skill needs 44 hours.
Course Introduction:
Histology is a science that deals with the microstructure of the human body and its
relationship with the body’s microstructure and functions. Human embryology is a
science that is concerned with the beginning and development of the human embryo,
including gametogenesis, fertilization, the relationship between the embryo and the
maternal body, as well as congenital malformations etc.
The Basic Requirements:
It will request students to grasp cardinal concepts, microstructure and functions
of cells, tissues and organs. For concrete content of each chapter, the aims and
requests will be divided into three parts: grasped contents, familiar contents and
comprehended contents.
Teaching Hours Distribution
Chapter
Contents
Hours
1
Introduction
4
2
Epithelial Tissue
4
3
Connective Tissue Proper
4
4
Cartilage and Bone
4
5
Blood
4
6
Muscle Tissue
4
7
Nerve Tissue
6
8
Circulatory System
4
9
Immune System
6
10
Endocrine System
4
11
Digestive Tract
6
12
Digestive Glands
6
13
Respiratory System
4
14
Urinary System
4
15
Male Reproductive System
4
16
Female Reproductive System
4
17
General Embryology
4
18
Development of face and neck
2
19
Development of digestive and respiratory
system
2
Total
80
Theoretical part (36hours)
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
[Objectives]
1. Understand definition and contents of histology.
2. Understand histological methods.
3. Understand the relationship between bi-dimension and tri-dimension.
[Contents]
1. Study the definition and teaching contents of histology and the importance of
histology.
2. Study histological methods. The principles for production of histological sections
under the light microscope. The principles for production of histological sections
under the electron microscope. Understand the transmission electron microscope
and scanning electron microscope.
3. Learn to use the unit of length.
4. Understand the relationship between bi-dimension and tri-dimension.
CHAPTER 2: EPITHELIAL TISSUE
[Objectives]
1. Grasp general features and classification epithelial tissue.
2. Grasp structural features and distribution of each kind of covering epithelium
3. Grasp the special structure of free surface, lateral surface and basal surface of
Epithelial cells
4. Understand the origination and classification of glandular epithelium
[Contents]
1. Grasp the general features and classification of epithelial tissue
2. Grasp the structural features, distribution and function of covering epithelium
including the simple squamous epithelium, simple cuboidal epithelium, simple
columnar epithelium, pseudostratified columnar epithelium, stratified squamous
epithelium, stratified columnar epithelium, transitional epithelium.
3. Grasp the special structures of epithelial cells. The free surface of the epithelial
cells,including the structure and ultrastructure of microvilli and cilia.The special
structures of lateral surface of the epithelial cells, including the distribution,
function and structure of tight junction, intermediated junction, desmosome and
gap junction. The special structures of basal surface of the epithelial cells,
including the structure and ultrastructure of basement membrane and basal
infoldings.
4. Understand the terms of glandular epithelium and gland, and the general features
of exocrine gland endocrine gland.
CHAPTER 3: CONNECTIVE TISSUE PROPER
[Objectives]
1. Grasp the structural features and classification of connective tissue.
2. Grasp the structure and function of elements of loose connective tissue.
3. Understand the structure and function of the dense connective tissue, adipose
tissue, and reticular tissue
[Contents]
1. Grasp the features and classification of connective tissue.
2. Grasp the features of loose connective tissue.
3. Grasp the features and function of seven kinds of cells, including fibroblast,
macrophage, plasma cell, mast cell, fat cell, stem cell and blood cell.
4. Grasp the features of three kinds of fibers of connective tissue, including
collagenous fiber, elastic fiber and reticular fiber.
5. Understand the components, features and function of ground substances.
6. Understand the features of dense connective tissue, adipose tissue and reticular
tissue.
CHAPTER 4: CARTILAGE AND BONE
[Objectives]
1. Grasp structure of cartilage tissue.
2. Grasp structural features and distribution of hyaline cartilage, elastic cartilage and
reticular cartilage.
3. Grasp structure of osseous tissue.
4. Understand the development of bone.
[Contents]
1. Grasp the structural features and distribution of hyaline cartilage, elastic cartilage
and reticular cartilage.
2. Grasp the structural features of chondrocytes, matrix and fibers of cartilages.
3. Grasp the features and function of osteocyte, osteoblast, osteoclast and osteogenic
cell
4. Grasp the structure of the bone lamella, including circumferential lamella, osteon
and interstitial lamella.
5. Understand the structure and function of perichondrium.
6. Understand the structure and function of periosteum.
CHAPTER 5: BLOOD
[Objectives]
1. Grasp the structure and function of erythrocytes and reticulocytes.
2. Grasp the structure and function of leukocytes.
3. Understand the structure and function of blood plateles.
[Contents]
1. Grasp composition of blood.
2. Grasp the structure and function of erythrocytes and reticulocytes
3. Grasp the classification of leukocytes.
4. Grasp the structure and function of five kinds of leukocytes, including neutrophil,
eosinophil, basophil, lymphocyte and monocyte.
5. Understand the structure and function of blood platelets.
CHAPTER 6: MUSCLE TISSUE
[Objectives]
1. Grasp the structure of three kinds of muscle tissue.
2. Grasp the ultrastructure of skeletal and cardiac muscle.
3. Understand the ultrastructure of smooth muscle.
4. Understand the mechanism of skeletal muscle contraction.
[Contents]
1. Grasp the features of the muscle tissue.
2. Grasp the general structure and ultrastructure of skeletal muscle.
3. Grasp the general structure and ultrastructure of cardiac muscle.
4. Grasp the difference between the skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle.
5. Understand the feature of the smooth muscle.
6. Understand the mechanism of skeletal muscle contraction.
CHAPTER 7: NERVE TISSUE
[Objectives]
1. Grasp the general structure and function of nerve tissue.
2. Grasp the structure of neurons.
3. Grasp the ultrastructure and function of synapses.
4. Grasp the classification and function of the neuroglial cells.
5. Grasp the structure of the myelinated nerve fibers of the peripheral nervous
system
6. Understand the structure and function of nerve endings.
[Contents]
1. Grasp the general structure and function of nerve tissue.
2. Grasp the structure, classification and function of neuron.
3. Grasp the structure, classification and function of synapses.
4. Grasp the structure, classification and function of neuroglial cells.
5. Grasp the structure of the myelinated nerve fibers of the peripheral nervous
system.
6. Understand the classification, structure and function of nerve endings.
CHAPTER 8: CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
[Objectives]
1. Master the light microscope structure of capillary, the electron microscope
structural features and distribution of three kinds of capillaries.
2. Master the structural features and function of larger artery, medium sized artery
and small artery.
3. Know the general structural features of the veins.
4. Know the structural features and function of microcirculation.
5. Master the structure of the heart. Know the structure of conducting system of
heart.
[Contents]
1. Master the light microscope structure of capillary, the electron microscope
structural features, distribution and function of three kinds of capillaries.
2. Master the structural features and function of larger artery, medium sized artery
and small artery.
3. Know the general structural features of vein and valve.
4. Know the structural features and function of microcirculation.
5. Master the structure of the heart. Know the structure and function of cardiac
valve.
6.
Know the structure and distribution of conducting system of heart.
CHAPTER 9: IMMUNE SYSTEM
[Objectives]
1. Know the components and function of immune system.
2. Master structure and function of lymphatic tissues.
3. Know the concept and components of central lymphatic organ and periphery
lymphat- ic organ.
4. Master structure and function of lymph node and spleen. Know structure and
function of tonsil.
5. Know structure and function of thymus.
[Contents]
1. Know the components and function of immune system.
2. Master structure and function of lymphatic tissues.
3. Know the concept and components of central lymphatic organ and periphery
lymphat- ic organ.
4. Know structure and function of thymus.
5. Master structure and function of lymph node.
6. Master structure and function of and spleen.
7. Know structure and function of tonsil.
CHAPTER 10: ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
[Objectives]
1. Know general structure of endocrine gland. Master the ultrastructure of two kinds
of endocrine cells.
2. Master the structures and secretory hormone of thyroid, adrenal glands.
3. Master the structure and function of adenohypophysis, the hypophyseal portal
system.
4. Know parathyroids and its function.
[Contents]
1. Master the components of endocrine system, general structure of endocrine gland,
the ultrastructure of two kinds of endocrine cells, the concept of hormone,
paracrine, and target cell and targer organ.
2. Master the general structures of thyroid, LM and EM of thyroid follicle, the
distribution, LM and EM and secretory hormone of parafollicular cell.
3. Know the general structures of parathyroid, the LM and its secretory hormone of
chief cell.
4. Master the general structures of adrenal glands, the structure, components and
secretory hormone of cortex and medulla.
5. Master the general structure, distribution and components of pituitary, the
structure and function of adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis, the hypophyseal
portal system.
CHAPTER 11: DIGESTIVE TRACT
[Objectives]
1. Master the general structure of the digestive tract.
2. Master cell types, structure and function of the gastric gland.
3. Master the structural features of small intestine, the structure and function of villi.
4. Know the structural features of esophagus and large intestine.
[Contents]
1. Master the general structure of the digestive tract.
2. Know the structural features of esophagus.
3. Master the structural features of stomach, cell types of gastric gland, LM, EM and
function of chief cell and parietal cell.
4. Master cell types of intestinal gland, the structural features of duodenum, jejunum
and ilium.
5. Know the structural features of and large intestine.
CHAPTER 12: DIGESTIVE GLANDS
[Objectives]
1. Know the structural features of three types acini, EM of glandular cell.
2. Master the structure and function of the pancreas.
3. Master LM and EM of hepatocyte and hepatic loubule, the structure of portal
space.
4. Know the structure of gallbladder.
[Contents]
1. Know structural features and function of three pairs of large salivary glands.
2. Master the general structure of the pancreas, structural features of acinus in
exocrine portion, cellular classification and function of endocrine portion,
structural features and function of each cell.
3. Master the general structure of the liver, the concept and components of hepatic
lobule and portal space，the LM and EM and function of hepatocyte, the EM of
bile canaliculus, the LM and EM of hepatic sinusoid, the components of portal
space.
CHAPTER 13: RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
[Objectives]
1. Understand components of the conducting and respiratory portions of the
respiratory System.
2. Grasp the structures of the wall of trachea.
3. Grasp the diversity of conduction portion of lungs.
4. Grasp the key distinguishing features of the respiratory portion of the lungs.
5. Grasp structure of the alveolar wall and components of the blood-air barrier.
[Contents]
1. Trachea and main bronchi: structure and function of the wall.
2. The structure and function of conducting and respiratory portions of lungs.
CHAPTER 14: URINARY SYSTEM
[Objectives]
1. Grasp structure and function of each component of a nephron.
2. Grasp ultrastructure of the filtration barrier of the renal glomerulus.
3. Grasp components, structures and function of the juxtaglomerular complex.
4. Understand features of blood circulation in the kidney.
[Contents]
1. General structure and function of kidney.
2. The structure and function of renal corpuscle.
3. The structure and function of renal tubule.
4. The structure and function of collecting duct.
5. Juxtaglomerular complex: component, structure and function.
CHAPTER 15: MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
[Objectives]
1. Master the components of seminiferous tubules.
2. Master LM and function of sustentacular cells, the LM and EM and function of
interstitial cell, blood-testes barrier.
3. Know structure of epididymis and prostate.
[Contents]
1. Master the general structure of the testes, the components of seminiferous tubules,
LM and EM and function of sustentacular cells, the LM and EM and function of
interstitial cell, blood-testes barrier.
2. Know structure and function of epididymis.
3. Know structure of ductus deferen.
4. Know structure of prostate.
CHAPTER 16: FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
[Objectives]
1. Master four stages of follicular development, the structural features of follicule.
2. Master the concept of ovulation, the concept, components and function of corpus
luteum.
3. Master the cycle changes of the endometrium.
4. Know the structure of oviducts and mammary glands.
[Contents]
1. Master general structure of the ovary, development and maturation of the follicles,
the concept and placation of ovulation, formation, structure and function of the
corpus luteum.
2. Master general structure of the uterus and menstrual cycle.
3. Know the structure and function of oviducts.
4. Know the structure of mammary glands.
CHAPTER 17: GENERAL EMBRYOLOGY
[Objectives]
1. Grasp definition, time, place, condition and significance of fertilization.
2. Understand maturation and capacitation of germ cells.
3. Grasp definition, time, process, condition and normal position of implantation.
4. Grasp definition of cleavage, morula, blastocyst, blastoderm, body stalk,
primitive.streak, notochord, placenta, somite, neural tube, chorion, umbilical cord,
placental barrier.
5. Grasp formation of bilaminar germ disc.
6. Grasp formation and differentiation of trilaminar germ disc.
7. Know structure and function of fetal membrane and placenta.
[Contents]
1. General description of embryology.
2. Germ cell and fertilization: capacitation of spermatozoon, maturation of ovum and
time, place, condition, position and process of fertilization.
3. Cleavage, blastocyst formation and structure, process of implantation.
4. Formation and distribution of deciduas.
5. Formation of bilaminar germ disc: inner cell mass, epiblast and hypoblast,
amniotic cavity, yolk sac.
6. Formation of trilaminar germ disc: primitive streak, mesoderm, notochord.
7. Differentiation of trilaminar germ disc: ectoderm (neural bube, neural crest),
mesoderm (paraxial, intermediate, lateral mesoderm), endoderm (primitive gut).
8. Embryonic folding.
9. Formation and development of the chorion.
10. Amnion, amniotic cavity, amniotic fluid.
11. Formation and differentiation of the yolk sac and allantois.
12. Formation, structure and function of the umbilical cord.
13. Structure and function of the placenta: fetal and maternal portions, placenta
barrier.
14. Twins, multiple births and conjoined fetus.
CHAPTER 18: DEVELOPMENT OF FACE AND NECK
[Objectives]
1. Master the reason of cleft lip.
2. Master the reason of cleft palate.
3. Master the reason of oblique facial cleft.
4. Understand the development of face.
5. Understand the development of bursa.
[Contents]
1. The development of pharyngeal/ branchial apparatus.
2. The formation of face.
3. The formation of palatum.
4. The congenital malformation.
CHAPTER 19: DEVELOPMENT OF DIGESTIVE AND
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
[Objectives]
1. Know about the development of esophago, stomach and intestine, master their
congenital malformation.
2. Know about the development of liver and pancreace, master their congenital
malformation.
3. Know about the development of larynx, trachea and lung, master their congenital
malformation.
[Contents]
1. The development of esophago, stomach and intestine.
2. The development of liver and pancreace.
3. The development of larynx, trachea and lung.
4. The congenital malformation.
REFERENCES
1. Junquera; J. Carneiro, Basic Histology, L. C. 11th Edition, New York, McGraw-Hill
Companies, 2005
2. L. P. Gartner & J. L. Hiatt, Color Atlas of Histology, 3
rd
Edition, New York,
Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2002
3. T. W. Sadler, Langman’s Medical Embryology, 9th Edition, Lippincott, Williams &
Wilkins, 2005
rd
4 William J. Larsen, Human Embryology, 3 Edition, Churchill Livingstone, 2001