CMI Histology & Microscopic Anatomy Illustration 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When illustrating a histological section stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), which color would the cell nucleus typically appear?
- Pink/red
- Blue/purple (Correct answer)
- Green
- Colorless
Correct answer: Blue/purple
Hematoxylin binds to acidic structures such as chromatin in the nucleus, staining them blue/purple, while eosin stains cytoplasm and connective tissue pink.
Question 2: In a photomicrograph of skeletal muscle, which combination of features must a medical illustrator accurately depict to distinguish it from other muscle types?
- Intercalated discs and branching fibers
- Cross-striations and peripherally located nuclei (Correct answer)
- Centrally located nuclei and smooth cell borders
- Single nucleus per cell and sparse striations
Correct answer: Cross-striations and peripherally located nuclei
Skeletal muscle is characterized by prominent cross-striations from organized sarcomeres and multiple peripherally located nuclei, distinguishing it from cardiac and smooth muscle.
Question 3: A medical illustrator is referencing micrographs to depict cellular ultrastructure including ribosomes and mitochondrial cristae. Which imaging modality provides this level of resolution?
- Phase contrast light microscopy
- Confocal fluorescence microscopy
- Transmission electron microscopy (Correct answer)
- Scanning electron microscopy
Correct answer: Transmission electron microscopy
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) provides nanometer-scale resolution needed to visualize subcellular organelles such as ribosomes and mitochondrial cristae.
Question 4: When illustrating a cross-section of a muscular artery, the medical illustrator must accurately depict which three concentric wall layers?
- Endothelium, myocardium, and pericardium
- Tunica intima, tunica media, and tunica adventitia (Correct answer)
- Epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis
- Mucosa, submucosa, and muscularis externa
Correct answer: Tunica intima, tunica media, and tunica adventitia
Arteries have three wall layers: the inner tunica intima (endothelium), the thick tunica media (smooth muscle), and the outer tunica adventitia (connective tissue).
Question 5: A medical illustrator is working from a PAS (Periodic Acid-Schiff) stained tissue section. Which cellular components would appear magenta/pink in this preparation?
- Cell nuclei
- Collagen fibers and elastic tissue
- Glycogen and mucopolysaccharides (Correct answer)
- Lipid droplets and myelin
Correct answer: Glycogen and mucopolysaccharides
PAS oxidizes vicinal diol groups in carbohydrates to aldehydes, which then react with Schiff reagent to produce a magenta color, highlighting glycogen and mucopolysaccharides.
Question 6: When illustrating simple columnar epithelium lining the small intestine, which two specialized surface features must be prominently shown?
- Cilia and basal lamina only
- Microvilli (brush border) and goblet cells (Correct answer)
- Stratified layers and desmosomes
- Stereocilia and tight junctions only
Correct answer: Microvilli (brush border) and goblet cells
Small intestinal epithelium features apical microvilli forming the brush border to maximize absorptive surface area, interspersed with mucus-secreting goblet cells.
Question 7: In a labeled diagram of the classic liver lobule, which structure is correctly placed at the center of the lobule?
- Portal triad
- Central vein (Correct answer)
- Hepatic artery branch
- Bile duct
Correct answer: Central vein
The classic liver lobule is organized around a central vein (terminal hepatic venule) at its core, with portal triads located at the peripheral corners.
CMI Histology & Microscopic Anatomy Illustration 1
When illustrating a histological section stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), which color would the cell nucleus typically appear?