Bone Dictionary

Appositional growth: The process that forms new cartilage at the surface of an existing cartilage.

In appositional growth, the cells undergo a differentiation process that is guided by the expression of the transcription factor SOX-9.



Canaliculi: Small tunnels that course through the mineralized matrix of bone.

The Canaliculi allow contact between the cell processes of neighboring osteocytes because the connect adjacent lacunae


Hemichannels: The unopposed half of gap junction channels that provide communication between cells and extracellular matrix

Hemmichannels allow the release of accumulated intracellular molecules into extracellular space of the canaliculi

Encounter of tissue in wounds

Outside the classroom I currently work at Washington Vascular Specialists. This is a clinic that treats peripheral arterial disease, particularly in the legs. A person who chronically suffers from this disease experiences a lack of blood flow to the feet, causing many complications. Particularly, patients who also have diabetes are at higher risks for suffering the symptoms of this disease. This is because a diabetic patient is more susceptible to develop a wound/ulcer in the foot, which I would now consider necrosis of the tissue. This causes difficulty because the patient’s poor blood circulation impedes the wound/ulcer from healing properly. Patients with non-healing wounds in the feet come to our clinic frequently for intervention procedures. My job is to prep the patient for procedures. This includes listening to the pulses of the dorsalis pedis arteries and the posterior tibial arteries with a portable doppler machine. I have to confess, many times I have to force myself to remain composed when removing socks from patients with wounds. As I examine the foot and remove the bandage I notice the tissue necrosis of the wound/ulcer. With a foot ulcer it is very clear to see where healthy tissue is missing and whether it is infected or not. For patients with infected ulcers I usually have to put an extra linen or drape because the ulcer tends to drain. Sometimes we have patients that come with gangrenous toes where the tissue has a black/greenish color to it. This experience makes me realize how important it is to know what healthy tissue looks like in order to diagnose pathological tissues.

It is neat to make a link between the patients I encounter and my histology class.

Dictionary- Intro to Histology

 Histology is a science I am very excited to start learning about on a deeper level. Upon studying a came across a couple new words that I needed to reference to the book for in order to understand the context. Below are the new words I learned this week. 

1.      Cis-Golgi network: Cisternae closest to the rough endoplasmic reticulum

Trans-Golgi network: Cisternae away from the rough endoplasmic reticulum

Secretory vesicles from the endoplasmic reticulum fuse with the cis-golgi network in order to modify and direct the proteins out through the trans-golgi network.

“Histology@Yale.” Golgi EM, medcell.med.yale.edu/histology/cell_lab/golgi_em.php.

2.      Inclusions: Stored nutrients, secretory products, and pigment granules.

Our muscles are constantly demanding energy in the form of glucose, therefore glycogen inclusions are abundant in the cells of muscles.

“Exercise 3: Cells, Organelles, and Inclusions.” Exercise 3: Cells, Organelles, and Inclusions, www.doctorc.net/Labs/Lab3/lab3.htm. Accessed 1 Sept. 2017.

3.      Necrosis: Wholesale unregulated cell death caused by lack of nutrients or infection.

Unlike apoptosis, necrosis tends to cause inflammation because of the release of intracellular contents. In apoptosis phagocytic cells quietly rid of cells that were programmed to die without inflammation. 

“Introduction to histopathology.” OpenLearn, www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/science/biology/introduction-histopathology/content-section-3.1. Accessed 1 Sept. 2017.