Histology: A Text and Atlas with Correlated Cell and Molecular Biology

Citation

Pawlina, W. (2023). Histology: A Text and Atlas with Correlated Cell and Molecular Biology (9th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

Chapter Summary

The ninth edition is a large combined textbook and atlas of more than 1,000 pages in 25 chapters. Wojciech Pawlina is now the sole author; earlier editions were written with Michael H. Ross. The publisher presents it as a reader-friendly textbook joined to a full-colour atlas, with large, high-resolution illustrations and photomicrographs, aimed at medical, dental, health-professions, and undergraduate biology and cell biology students. The system chapters are said to align with curricular units and to emphasise a clinical context.

The publisher lists what is new in this edition: clinical information highlighted in blue text and in clinical boxes called "Folders"; descriptions of changes in normal tissue in COVID-19 infection; a discussion of the mononuclear phagocytic system and tissue-resident macrophages; recent findings on immune cell activation; updated cell-biology topics (beige adipose tissue, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, conjunctiva-associated lymphatic tissue, peroxisome biogenesis and function, and microsomes as a newly described form of cell-to-cell communication); more detailed histology of the male and female external genitalia; additions to the skin chapter, including skin colour and ageing; and a basic discussion of three-dimensional microscopy in the methods chapter.

Chapters 1–4: Methods; Cell Cytoplasm; The Cell Nucleus; Tissues: Concept and Classification

The opening chapters cover how tissues are studied (including the new three-dimensional microscopy material), the cytoplasm and the nucleus of the cell, and the concept and classification of tissues. The cytoplasm chapter is the longest of the four, at about 60 pages.

Chapters 5–9: Epithelial Tissue; Connective Tissue; Cartilage; Bone; Adipose Tissue

The basic tissues begin with epithelium and connective tissue, followed by cartilage, bone and adipose tissue, each given a chapter of its own. Among the publisher's updates are beige adipose tissue and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Chapters 10–12: Blood; Muscle Tissue; Nerve Tissue

Blood, muscle tissue and nerve tissue complete the basic-tissue sequence.

Chapters 13–15: Cardiovascular System; Immune System and Lymphatic Tissues and Organs; Integumentary System

The organ-system chapters start with the cardiovascular system, then the immune system with its lymphatic tissues and organs, then the skin and its derivatives. The publisher lists new material on tissue-resident macrophages and immune cell activation, and says the skin chapter was supplemented with skin colour and ageing.

Chapters 16–18: Digestive System I: Oral Cavity and Associated Structures; Digestive System II: Esophagus and Gastrointestinal Tract; Digestive System III: Liver, Gallbladder, and Pancreas

The digestive system takes three chapters: the mouth and its associated structures, the oesophagus and gastrointestinal tract, and the liver, gallbladder and pancreas.

Chapters 19–21: Respiratory System; Urinary System; Endocrine Organs

The respiratory and urinary systems and the endocrine organs each have a chapter.

Chapters 22–23: Male Reproductive System; Female Reproductive System

Two chapters on the reproductive systems. The publisher lists more detailed histology of the male and female external genitalia among the additions.

Chapters 24–25: Eye; Ear

The last two chapters cover the sense organs of vision and of hearing and balance.

Key Concepts

Chapters 1–4: methods and the cell

• Methods of study: how tissues are prepared and examined, now including three-dimensional microscopy.
• Cell cytoplasm and nucleus: the cell's internal organisation, including peroxisomes.
• Tissue classification: how tissues are defined and grouped.

Chapters 5–12: the basic tissues

• Epithelial and connective tissue: the first two basic tissues; the epithelial-mesenchymal transition is among the publisher's updated topics.
• Cartilage, bone, adipose tissue and blood: each treated in its own chapter.
• Muscle and nerve tissue: contractile and conducting tissue.

Chapters 13–25: the organ systems

• System-based organisation: each organ system is presented as a unit aligned with curricular units.
• Clinical correlates: structure and function linked to clinical context through highlighted text and "Folders".

Critical Analysis

Strengths

• A combined text and atlas. Explanation and image share one volume, with large illustrations and full-colour photomicrographs.
• Cell and molecular biology built in. The contents place the cytoplasm and nucleus in the opening chapters, and the edition adds current cell-biology topics.
• Curriculum-shaped. The 25 chapters proceed from methods to basic tissues to every major organ system, and the publisher says the system chapters match curricular units.
• Clinical links. Clinical information is flagged in blue text and boxed Folders, and several chapters describe changes in normal tissue in COVID-19 with their cellular and molecular mechanisms.

Limitations

• Very large. At more than 1,000 pages (catalogue records give 1,082 or 1,104), the book is far longer than a concise histology text, and a course will normally select chapters.
• Histology only. The contents list has no embryology chapters, so a combined histology and embryology course needs a separate embryology text.
• Changes from earlier editions. The 25-chapter structure matches the eighth edition, but text, figures and clinical boxes were revised, so page and figure references do not carry over.

Where It Fits in the Course

In the histology and embryology course, this is the full-length text and atlas for the main histology course. Wheater's Functional Histology is a combined text and colour atlas that pairs micrographs with concise explanations of function and is a more concise alternative for a first pass. Junqueira's Basic Histology is another concise text-and-atlas that relates structure to function and runs to about 600 pages.

Mills's Histology for Pathologists is a reference on normal histology written from the pathologist's point of view, for use after a basic course. For embryology, Before We Are Born is a concise illustrated introduction, and Larsen's Human Embryology is the detailed account of human development.

How to Use This Book

The book is meant for medical, dental and other health-professions students and for undergraduates in biology and cell biology. Introductory cell biology and basic anatomy are useful, and some familiarity with light microscopy helps.

A practical plan:

• Start with the foundations: Chapters 1 to 4 and then the basic tissues, Chapters 5 to 12, since every organ chapter assumes them.
• Follow the curriculum: read each organ-system chapter when the course reaches that system, using the atlas plates alongside the text.
• Learn with the micrographs: study the photomicrographs actively, naming the structures before reading the labels.
• Use the clinical correlations: read the Folders and highlighted clinical text after the structure is clear, to see why the normal histology matters.
• Choose chapters: the eye and ear, the endocrine organs and the second and third digestive chapters are natural candidates to read selectively in a short course.