The Endocervical cells , In the fields of medicine, gynecology and histology, are those that are usually found in the cervix, more specifically in the mucosa. These cells rapidly degenerate upon contact with agents of various types because they have a very low resistance capacity.
Endocervical cells, as their name says (note the endo- prefix, ie"within","from within","inside of", and cervical noun, of cervix), are in the inner part Of the organs corresponding to the reproductive apparatus of the woman. This means that these cells are not alone at all, but are placed within an anatomical context in which they have a defined participation in female sexual health.
Therefore, endocervical cells have a relevance that is not limited to the purely biological, since they also have a medical value.
In other words, these cells are evaluated by specialists with advanced diagnostic methods that determine if the woman has health problems. In this way, it guarantees a better quality of life that, through preventive health procedures, can anticipate different types of illness.
The endocervix in the female reproductive system
As mentioned before, endocervical cells are not isolated but are part of a whole. Therefore, they are located in a set, in an anatomical context that is known as the female reproductive system, which is composed of several organs that have close relationship with each other.
Among them are the canal of the cervix and what is commonly known as the cervix, which is between the vagina and the uterus itself.
The cervix consists of two parts; An internal one that is the endocervix, which has closeness to the body of the uterus, and an external one that is the exocervix, which has opposite the vagina.
In contrast, both the endocervix and exocervix have differences rather than terminology, because they differ basically in the types of cells they contain. While there are glandular cells in the endocervix, the squamous cells are present in the exocérvix.
The so-called"transformation zone"is nothing other than the area where the endocervix and exocervix are touched; In fact, this is the meeting point where the glandular cells and the squamous cells come into contact.
It is here that the vast majority of cases of cervical cancer have been recorded, which do not develop overnight but in a much longer period of time (hence the need for periodic cytology examinations) .
In addition, the cervix is itself the communication channel between the vagina and the uterus; Is a conduit in which there is exchange of fluids and consequently of cells of different kinds that interact between them.
In the cervix, secretions are used to protect the uterus from infections. Hence, its two parts - the endocervix and exocervix - harbor microscopic walls containing the invasion of these pathogens.
The secretion of the cervical mucus, therefore, is not at all negligible and is a faithful reflection of the physiological functions of the female reproductive system, which are the most normal. Although the frequency of this secretion is continuous, its fluidity, consistency, and amount vary depending on the woman's menstrual cycle and age.
As for its shape, the cervix itself looks different in females who had children from those who did not have them or who are in the middle of pregnancy.
In this way it can be seen that the anatomy and physiology of the organs of the female reproductive system are not as simple as they are usually believed, since they have nuances and implications that are not always visible.
If different parts of the sex in women change because of menstruation, age, gestation and even menopause, then nothing different can be expected in its most hidden aspects, which occur on a microscopic scale, out of sight.
It is clear, then, that the woman experiences throughout her life changes affecting the cervix both externally and internally. The endocervix is a good example of this because it is a scientifically studied case, in which it has been proved that the endocervical cells undergo transformations that obey all the factors that have been mentioned in the previous paragraphs, and whose appearance in the microscope will be variable According to the sample taken in the cytology.
Importance of Endocervical Cells
Emphasis has been placed on the study of endocervical cells not only to satisfy the thirst for knowledge in anatomy, but also to aid the development of medicine.
That is, the analysis of these cells is very useful to know if a woman can have cancer of the cervix or any other related disease, such as genital infections or sexually transmitted diseases. All this is done under laboratory conditions and should be complemented by more specialized tests.
Endocervical cells and psychological tests
It should be noted, however, that the presence of endocervical cells does not in itself indicate that there is any disorder; What comes out in the tissue analyzes in addition to those cells is to turn on the alarms: bacteria, viruses and cells with abnormal appearance or amounts. This should be accompanied by other useful information of the woman such as age, family history, children (if they had them), menstrual rhythm, sexual activity, symptoms of discomfort, among others.
Only the physician can give a correct interpretation of the results of these analyzes, which start from cytology exams such as the pap smear and the performance of an endocervical culture.
These can be repeated to obtain more precise results or to make sure the existence / nonexistence of these cells and their exact meaning in the tests. Of course, the patient will need to go to the gynecologist to clarify any doubts she may have about it.
References
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- ♦ Drake, Richard; Wayne Vogl, A. and Mitchell, Adam W.M. (2004). Gray's Anatomy for Students (2nd ed., 2009). Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Elsevier.
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- Hughey, Mike (2014). Endocervical Cells [Online article]. Chicago, United States. The Brookside Associates, LLC. Accessed January 30, 2017, at booksidepress.org.
- Jenny, Jacques (No year). Cytological smear in the framework of gynecological cancer prevention. Zurich, Switzerland. CSM Graf. Accessed January 30, 2017.
- Pap test results. For Women with an Abnormal Pap Test (2014). Melbourne, Australia. Cancer Council Victoria. Accessed January 30, 2017.
- What is cervical cancer (cervical)? [Online article] (2016). Georgia, United States. American Society Against Cancer. Accessed January 30, 2017, on cancer.org.
- Sacks, Daniel N. (review, 2015). Endocervical culture [Online article]. Maryland, United States. MedlinePlus [Website], National Library of Medicine of the United States. Accessed January 30, 2017, at medlineplus.gov.
Source of images
- Atlas of Histology. Female Genital System (2013). Mexico, D.F., Mexico. National Autonomous University of Mexico, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Tissue Biology.
- Vorvick, Linda J. (review, 2016). Uterus [Image hosted online]. Maryland, United States. MedlinePlus. National Library of Medicine of the United States. Accessed January 30, 2017.