Form and Funkiness of Lab Animals : Anatomy, Histology, and Pathology

Have you ever stopped to think what all those pink and purple dots mean in a histology slide? Does wondering about what a pancreas really looks like keep you up at night? Have you ever lost sleep thinking about what dermatitis or an infarct really are? Well, this is your lucky quarter! This course focuses on the anatomy and histology (microscopic anatomy) of the entire mouse, both in normal and diseased states. The topics covered in the first portion of the course include: 1) organ identification at the gross level, 2) proper tissue fixation and preparation for histology, 3) identification of normal organ histology on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained slides, and 4) use of special stains for brightfield microscopy. Topics covered in the second portion of the course include: 1) basic pathology principles (response to injury, cell death, inflammation, healing, and neoplasia), and 2) common diseases of the laboratory mouse. This course may involve dissection laboratories. Comfort with mouse handling and previous participation in the VSC Mouse Handling Workshop and the Rodent Tissue Collection and Necropsy Workshop is recommended. ***This course is taught every other year. Compmed 210 will be offered in Winter AY 23-24.***