The Heart
Slide 1: (H&E staining) This tissue slide shows the left ventricle of a man who died at the age of 57 years. The most frequent cells are the cardiomyocytes. These muscle cells have little blue nuclei and broad, eosinophilic cytoplasm. Between the cells you will find vessels varying in size, and in those vessels you sometimes will see erythrocytes. The pericardium lies at the boundary of the slide. It is lined by mesothelium; underneath you can appreciate fat tissue and nerves. Although the light microscopy is nearly normal, subtle changes may be seen: some small fibrotic areas, most likely as a result of episodes of ischemia. The pericardium has some fibrin lying over it, and focal inflammation is present, perhaps indicative of the first phase of a pericarditis. Some cardiomyocytes have brown pigment, i.e. lipofuscine, a sign of ageing.
Slide 2: (H&E staining) This tissue slide shows the left ventricle of a man who died at the age of 61, from a cardial cause. The histology is dominated by an inflammatory infiltrate. What is the dominant cell type in the infiltrate? Are necrotic cardiomyocytes present? What could have been the cause of death? A coronary artery is present in the slide: is it normal? Could the changes in this vessel be related to the lesions in the cardiomyocytes? Is there also chronic damage?