Saturday, August 15, 2015

Histology Mnemonics


Histology Mnemonics


Vascular endothelium: simplified cross-section LIMA:
Lumen
Intima
Media
Adventitia


Organ of corti: location The organ of COrti
is inside the COchlea.


Extracellular matrix components "HELP Form 
C
ollagen":
Hyaluronic acid
Elastin
Laminin
Proteoglycan
Fibronectin
Collagen


Epiphyseal plate: zones "Real People Have
Career Opportunities":
Resting zone
Proliferative zone
Hypertrophic zone
Calcified cartilage zone
Ossification zone


Collagen: location of types Type One: bONE
Type Two: CarTwolage
Type Four: "Four on the Floor" [automotive transmission term]
basement membrane (the "floor") is mostly Type IV collagen


From cartillage to bone "Real People Have
Calcified Osses":
Resting zone (reserves)
Proliferation
Hypertrophy
Calcification
Ossification


Epipheseal plates "Rosa Parks Helped 
C
oloured Out":
Resting zone
Proliferative zonene
Hypertrophic zone
Calcificied cartliage
Osstification zone


Autonomic Nervous System: Hypothalamic Control APPS:
Anterior hypothalamic area controls Parasympathetic nervous system
Posterior hypothalamic area controls the Sympathetic.


White blood cell relative concentrations "Never Let
Monkeys Eat Bananas":
From greatest to least:
Neutrophils (65%)
Lymphocytes (25%)
Monocytes (6%)
Eosinophils (3%)
Basophils (1%)
· Alternatively: "Nine Little Monkeys Eating Bananas".
· Alternatively: "Noone Likes MEducational Background".
· Alternatively: "Never Let Mamma Eat Beans".
· Can remember that Eosinophils is 3%, by the mirror image of E
is 3.


Epidermis layers "Come, Let's Get Sun
Burned":
· From superficial to deep:
Corneum
Lucidum
Granulosum
Spinosum
Basale [Germinativum]
· Alternatively: "Can Lori Get Some Gas?"
· Alternatively: "Can Little Girls Speak German?"
· Alternatively: "Can Larry Get Some Beer?"


Adrenal cortex layers [for Florida Gator fans] "Gator
Football Rocks!":
· From outside inwards:
Glomerulosa
Fasciculata
Reticularis


Epidermis layers "Bad Skin Gets Little
Calluses":
· From deep to superficial:
Basale
Spinosum
Granulosum
Lucidum
Corneum


Leukocytes: granulated and agranulated "BEN Loves
Money":
· Granulocytes:
Basophil
Eosinophil
Neurophil
· Agranulocytes:
Lymphocytes
Monocytes
· Alternatively: Granpa BEN..." to keep the granulated group
straight.


Schwann cell only myelinates 1 axon SchWANN = sounds
like ONE.
A single Schwann cell only myelinates onePNS axon.


Pituitary: anterior pituitary products: acidophilic vs basophilic
· Acidophilic:
GPA:
Growth hormone
Prolactin
Acidophilic
· Basophilic:
B-FLAT
Basophilic
FSH
LH
ACTH
TSH


Erythropoiesis stages "Powerful Businesses 
P
ollute Our Reeling Environment":
Proerythroblast
Basophilic erythroblast
Polychromatic erythroblast
Orthochromatophilic erythroblast
Reticulocyte
Erythrocyte


Basophil vs. eosinophils: effect for allergic persons 
Basophils
 are "Bad-o-phils" because they contribute to our allergic
reactions.

Eosinophils are "Easy-on-me-phils" because they counteract our
allergic reactions.


Muscle fiber: types · Type 1:
"1 slow fat red ox":
-slow twitch
-lipid accumulation
-red fibers
-oxidative
· Type 2:
"2 fast skinny white breasts":
-fast twitch
-low lipid
-white fibers, like chicken breasts


Muscle sarcomere: A vs. I as light or dark There is only one
vowel in "dark" and one vowel in "light".
These one vowels match up to their one letter names:
DArk band is the A band.
LIght band is the Iband.


Cochlea chambers: ones with perilymph vs. endolymph PerI-
ones also end with 'I': vestibulI and tympanI.
Therefore, perilymph is in scala vestibuli and scala tympani, and the endolymph
is in the scala media.


Basophil morphology Basophil has Big Blue
Balls (granules).


Muscle sarcomere: H line vs. Z disc location HAZI
(Hazy):
H line is in A-band.
Z disc is in the Iband.


Neutrophil's 2 distinctive physical features 1: There's up
to 5 lobes of the nucleus joined by thin appendages. Tie this to it being
a neutrophil nucleus by arranging the 5 lobes into a capital N for
Neutrophil.

2: the chicken leg (Barr Body) sticking out. Say it out loud: chick-N.
The chick-N leg is for Neutrophil.


Taste buds: vallate vs. fungiform distribution Cross
sectional shape of the top of the bud tells their distribution.
Vallate: has a shallow 'V' at the top, so has a 'V'
distribution at the back of the tongue.
Fungiform: top is round so it is towards the round end of the
tongue.
· See diagram.
· Note vallate is also sometimes called circumvallate.


Pancreatic exocrine cells: nuclei A cells are
indented around the capital A.
B cells have a round nucleus like a B lymphocyte.
· See diagram.
D cells have Different shapes and sizes.


Epidermis layers [for Star Trek fans] "Brent Spiner
Gained Lieutenant Commander":
· From deep to superficial:
Basale
Spinosum
Granulosum
Lucidum
Corneum


Muscle cells: cardiac vs. skeletal's nuclei location/number
Nuclei location mirrors where the muscle is located in human body.
Heart muscle is in the middle of body, so heart muscle has nucleus in 
middle
.
Skeletal muscles are at periphery of body, so nuclei are at periphery.
Also, you have 1 heart, so usually only 1 nucleus per heart muscle cell, but
have many skeletal muscles, so have many nuclei per long fibre.


Muscle sarcomere bands "Zee Intelligent Animal
Has Muscle":
· From the Z disk, working inward, remembering symmetry:
Z I A H M H A I Z.
· Alternatively: "Zoe IA Horny Momma".

Genetics Mnemonics


Genetics Mnemonics


Chromosome 15 diseases Chromosome 15 has its own MAP:
Marfan syndrome
Angelman syndrome
Prader-Willi syndrome


Bartter syndrome: inheritance BARtter syndrome is
autosomal recessive (AR).


DNA probes available for prenatal diagnosis "ABCDEFGH
Probes":
Alpha globin probe: alpha thalassaemia, polycystic kidney
Alpha 1 AT probe: alpha-1 anti-trypsin deficiency
Beta globin probe: beta thalassaemia, sickle cell anaemia
CFTCR probe: cystic fibrosis
Dystrophin probe: Duchenne's modystrophy
Enormous CAG repeat probe: Huntington's disease
Factor VIII probe: haemophilia A
GH probe: growth hormone deficiency
Hemochromatosis probe: hemochromatosis
PAH probe: phenylketonuria


Nucleotides: double vs. triple bonded basepairs "TU
bonds" (two bonds):
T-A and U-A have Two bonds.
G-C therefore has the three bonds.


Codons: nonsense mutation "Stop talking nonsense!":
Nonsense mutation causes premature stop.


DNA: Z vs. B form: which is inactive ZZZZ is sleeping
(inactive).
B form is therefore active DNA.


Nucleotides: purines "AGUA PURa":
Adenine and GUAnine are PURines.
· "Agua pura" is spanish for "pure water".


Hurler's syndrome: symptoms BLUFF:
Blind (corneal opacity)
Little (dwarfish)
Ugly (coarse facial features)
Fool (mental retardation
Failures (failure to thrive and hear failure secondary to coronary artery
disease)


Achrondroplasia dwarfism: inheritance pattern Achondroplasia
Dwarfism is Autosomal Dominant.


Marfan syndrome features MARFAN'S:
Mitral valve prolapse
Aortic Aneurysm
Retinal detachment
Fibrillin
Arachnodactyly
Negative Nitroprusside test (differentiates from homocystinuria)
Subluxated lens


Imprinting diseases: Prader-Willi and Angelman "Pray
to an Angel":
Prader-Willi and Angelman are the 2 classic imprinting diseases.
· Which disease results, depends on whether 15q deletion is maternal or
paternal. Keep them straight by:
Paternal is Prader-Willi.


Down syndrome pathology DOWN:
Decreased alpha-fetoprotein and unconjugated estriol (maternal)
One extra chromosome twenty-one
Women of advanced age
Nondisjunction during maternal meiosis


Hurler syndrome features HURLER'S:
Heptosplenomegaly
Ugly facies
Recessive (AR inheritance)
L-iduronidase deficiency (alpha)
Eyes clouded
Retarded
Short/ Stubby fingers


Tay Sach's features SACHS:
Spot in macula
Ashkenazic Jews
CNS degeneration
Hex A deficiency
Storage disease
· Extra details with TAY:
Testing recommended
Autosomal recessive/ Amaurosis
Young death (<4 yrs)


Down syndrome features: complete "My CHILD HAS PROBLEM!":
Congenital heart disease/ Cataracts
Hypotonia/ Hypothyroidism
Incure 5th finger/ Increased gap between 1st and 2nd toe
Leukemia risk x2/ Lung problem
Duodenal atresia/ Delayed development
Hirshsprung's disease/ Hearing loss
Alzheimer's disease/ Alantoaxial instability
Squint/ Short neck
Protruding tongue/ Palm crease
Round face/ Rolling eye (nystagmus)
Occiput flat/ Oblique eye fissure
Brushfield spot/ Brachycephaly
Low nasal bridge/ Language problem
Epicanthic fold/ Ear folded
Mental retardation/ Myoclonus


APKD: genetics ADult Polycystic Kidney Disease is
Autosomal
Dominant
· Also, "Polycystic kidney" has 16 letters and is due to a defect on
chromosome 16.


DiGeorge/ Velocardiofacial syndrome: features CATCH 22:
Cardiac abnormalities
Abnormal facies
Thymic aplasia
Cleft palate
Hypocalcemia
22q11 deletion


Nucleotides: purines vs. pyrimidines "Guardian Angels
are Pure, with two Wings":
G and A are Purines, with two Rings.


Exon vs. intron function Exons Expressed.
InTrons In Trash.


Nucleotides: class having the single ring · "Pyrimadines are
CUT from purines"
· Pyrimidines are:
Cytosine
Uracil
Thiamine
They are cutfrom purines so the pyrimadines must be smaller (one ring).


Pedigree symbols: gender and affected Gender: The cIRcle
is a gIRl [so boys are squares].
Affected: Black plague was a disease, so black-filled
symbol means an affected/diseased person [so non-filled-in is
unaffected].


Cell cycle stages "GSally Go! Make
Children!":
G1 phase (Growth phase 1)
S phase (DNA Synthesis)
G2 phase (Growth phase 2)
M phase (Mitosis)
Cphase (Cytokinesis)


Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium: causes for deviations from it "Maggie
May Does Not Smoke":
Mutations
Migration
Drift
Non-random mating
Selection


Tumor suppressor vs. proto-onogene mutations: recessive vs. dominant
"Recess Suppress":
Tumor suppressor mutations are recessive.
Proto-oncogenes are opposite (dominant).


Blots: function of Southern vs. Northern vs. Western "SN0W
DR0P":
· Match up the 1st word letter with 2nd word letter:
Southern=DNA
Northern=RNA
Western=Protein
· The 0's in snow drop are zeros, since there is no Eastern blot.


Pyrimidines nucleotides "CUT the PY" (cut the
pie):
Cytosine
Uracil
Thiamine
are the PYrimidines


Cri-du-chat syndrome: chromosomal deletion causing it is 5p(-)
What's another name for a cat that's five letters long and starts
with a P? (Answer: pussy).
Why is the cat crying? Missing its P.


Nucleotides: which are purines "Pure Silver":
· Chemical formula of Pure silver is Ag.
Therefore, Purines are Adenine and Guanine.

Gastroenterology Mnemonics


Gastroenterology Mnemonics


Splenomegaly: causes CHINA:
Congestion/ Cellular infiltration
Haematological (eg haemolytic anaemia, Sickle cell)
Infection/ Infarction (eg malaria, GF, CMV)
Neoplasia (eg CML, lymphoma, other myeloproliferative)
Autoimmune


Dysphagia: causes MOON:
Mouth lesions
Obstruction
Oesophageal stricture
Neurological (eg stroke, Guillain-Barre, achalasia)


Cirrhosis: differential: common and rarer · Common causes
are ABC:
Alcohol
B (Hepatitis)
C (Hepatitis)
· Rarer are also ABC:
Autoimmune
Biliary cirrhosis
Copper (Wilson's)


Hepatic encephalopathy: precipitating factors ABCDEFI:
Alcohol withdrawal
Bleeding (GI)
Constipation
Drugs: withdraw any sedatives/narcotics
Electrolyte imbalances
Fluid depletion: stop diuretics
Infections: treat vigorously


Celiac disease: gluten-free diet grains BB-WORM:
Barley
Buckwheat
Wheat
Oats
Rye
Malt


Dry mouth: differential "DRI":
·2 of each:
Drugs/ Dehydration
Renal failure/ Radiotherapy
Immunological (Sjogren's)/ Intense emotions


Liver failure: decompensating chronic liver failure differential
HEPATICUS:
Haemorrhage
Electrolyte disturbance
Protein load/ Paracetamol
Alcohol binge
Trauma
Infection
Constipation
Uraemia
Sedatives/ Shunt/ Surgery


Cirrhosis: causes of hepatic cirrhosis HEPATIC:
Hemochromatosis (primary)
Enzyme deficiency (alpha-1-anti-trypsin)
Post hepatic (infection + drug induced)
Alcoholic
Tyrosinosis
Indian childhood (galactosemia)
Cardiac/ Cholestatic (biliary)/ Cancer/ Copper
(Wilson's)


Hepatic encephalopathy: precipitating factors HEPATICS:
Hemorrhage in GIT/ Hyperkalemia
Excess protein in diet
Paracentesis
Acidosis/ Anemia
Trauma
Infection
Colon surgery
Sedatives


Diabetic ketoacidosis: precipitating factors · 5 I's:
Infection
Ischaemia (cardiac, mesenteric)
Infarction
Ignorance (poor control)
Intoxication (alcohol)


Whipple's disease: clinical manifestations SHELDA:
Serositis
Hyperpigmentation of skin
Eating less (weight loss)
Lymphadenopathy
Diarrhea
Arthritis


Celiac sprue gluten sensitive enteropathy: gluten-containing grains
BROW:
Barley
Rye
Oats
Wheat
· Flattened intestinal villi of celiac sprue are smooth, like an eyebrow.


Liver failure (chronic): signs found on the arms CLAPS:
Clubbing
Leukonychia
Asterixis
Palmar erythema
Scratch marks


Splenomegaly: causes CHIMP:
Cysts
Haematological ( eg CML, myelofibrosis)
Infective (eg viral (IM), bacterial)
Metabolic/ Misc (eg amyloid, Gauchers)
Portal hypertension


Constipation: causes DOPED:
Drugs (eg opiates)
Obstruction (eg IBD, cancer)
Pain
Endocrine (eg hypothyroid)
Depression


Cholangitis features CHOLANGITITS:
Charcot's triad/ Conjugated bilirubin increase
Hepatic abscesses/ Hepatic (intra/extra) bile ducts/ HLA
B8, DR3
Obstruction
Leukocytosis
Alkaline phosphatase increase
Neoplasms
Gallstones
Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis)
Transaminase increase
Infection
Sclerosing


Charcot's triad (gallstones) "Charge a FEE":
Charcot's triad is:
Fever
Epigastric & RUQ pain
Emesis & nausea


Haemachromatosis complications "HaemoChromatosis
Can Cause Deposits Anywhere":
Hypogonadism
Cancer (hepatocellular)
Cirrhosis
Cardiomyopathy
Diabetes mellitus
Arthropathy


Pancreatitis: criteria PANCREAS:
PaO2 below 8
Age >55
Neutrophils: WCC >15
Calcium below 2
Renal: Urea >16
Enzymes: LDH >600; AST >200
Albumin below 32
Sugar: Glucose >10 (unless diabetic patient)


Pancreatitis: Ranson criteria for pancreatitis: at admission
"GA LAW" (GA is abbreviation for the U.S. state of Georgia):
Glucose >200
AST >250
LDH >350
Age >55 y.o.
WBC >16000


Pancreatitis: Ranson criteria for pancreatitis: initial 48 hours
"C & HOBBS" (Calvin and Hobbes):
Calcium < 8
Hct drop > 10%
Oxygen < 60 mm
BUN > 5
Base deficit > 4
Sequestration of fluid > 6L


Pancreatitis: Ranson criteria for pancreatitis at admission
LEGAL:
Leukocytes > 16.000
Enzyme AST > 250
Glucose > 200
Age > 55
LDH > 350


GIT symptoms BAD ANAL S#!T:
Bleeding
Abdominal pain
Dysphagia
Abdominal bloating
Nausea & vomiting
Anorexia/ Appetite changes
Lethargy
S#!ts (diarrhea)
Heartburn
Increased bilirubin (jaundice)
Temperature (fever)


Crohn's disease: morphology, symptoms CHRISTMAS:
Cobblestones
High temperature
Reduced lumen
Intestinal fistulae
Skip lesions
Transmural (all layers, may ulcerate)
Malabsorption
Abdominal pain
Submucosal fibrosis


Dysphagia: differential DISPHAGIA:
Disease of mouth and tonsils/ Diffuse oesophageal spasm/ Diabetes
mellitus
Intrinsic lesion
Scleroderma
Pharyngeal disorders/ Palsy-bulbar-MND
Achalasia
Heart: eft atrium enlargement
Goitre/ myesthenia Gravis/ mediastinal Glands
Infections
American trypanosomiasis (chagas disease)


Ulcerative colitis: definition of a severe attack A STATE:
Anemia less than 10g/dl
Stool frequency greater than 6 stools/day with blood
Temperature greater than 37.5
Albumin less than 30g/L
Tachycardia greater than 90bpm
ESR greater than 30mm/hr


Vomiting: extra GI differential VOMITING:
Vestibular disturbance/ Vagal (reflex pain)
Opiates
Migrane/ Metabolic (DKA, gastroparesis, hypercalcemia)
Infections
Toxicity (cytotoxic, digitalis toxicity)
Increased ICP, Ingested alcohol
Neurogenic, psychogenic
Gestation


Pancreatitis (acute): causes I GET SMASHED:
Idiopathitic
Gallstones
Ethanol
Trauma
Steroids
Mumps
Autoimmune (PAN)
Scorpion stings
Hyperlipidemia/ Hypercalcemia
ERCP
Drugs (including azathioprine and diuretics)
· Note: 'Get Smashed' is slang in some countries for drinking, and ethanol is an
important pancreatitis cause.
· Note: Shortest answer is gallstones for women, and ethanol for men. And
scorpian stings for people from Trinidad.


Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC) cause is DNA
mismatch repair
 DNA mismatch causes a bubble in the strand where the
two nucleotides don't match.
This looks like the ensuing polyps that arise in the colon.


IBD: extraintestinal manifestations A PIE SAC:
Aphthous ulcers
Pyoderma gangrenosum
Iritis
Erythema nodosum
Sclerosing cholangitis
Arthritis
Clubbing of fingertips


Digestive disorders: pH level With vomiting both the
pH and food come up.
With diarrhea both the pH and food go down.


H. Pylori treatment regimen (rough guidelines) "Please
Make Tummy Better":
Proton pump inhibitor
Metronidazole
Tetracycline
Bismuth
· Alternatively: TOMB:
Tetracycline
Omeprazole
Metronidazole
Bismuth


Bilirubin: common causes for increased levels "HOT Liver":
Hemolysis
Obstruction
Tumor
Liver disease


Ulcerative colitis: complications "PAST Colitis":
Pyoderma gangrenosum
Ankylosing spondylitis
Sclerosing pericholangitis
Toxic megacolon
Colon carcinoma


Charcot's triad (gallstones) "Charcot's Triad
is 3 C's":
Color change (jaundice)
Colic (biliary) pain, aka RUQ pain
Chills and fever

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