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Normal Cervix

Etiology: • Not applicable.

Pathogenesis: • Not applicable.

Epidemiology: • Not applicable.

General Gross Description: • Endocervical canal measures approximately 3.0 cms in length • Endocervical canal lined by deep longitudinal folds and abundant mucus • Internal cervical os is not clear cut as the endometrial-endocervical junction is not sharp • Somewhere near the end of the endocervical canal is the squamocolumnar junction • Squamocolumnar junction is visualized by pink endocervical epithelium meeting grey squamous mucosa • Supplied by uterine arteries; drain to pelvic lymph nodes

General Microscopic Description: • Endocervix is lined by a single layer of mucin-secreting cells with small often basilar nuclei and mucin filled cytoplasm. • Also may see ciliated cells and subcolumnar reserve cells. • Neuroendocrine cells can be detected with immunohistochemical staining. • Despite the appearance of glands and the use of the term endocervical glands the epithelium is simply deeply clefted. • Exocervix covered by stratified squamous non-keratinizing epithelium. (See Pap smear normals and squamous metaplasia for more details).

Clinical Correlations: • Not applicable.

References: • Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL. Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 5th edition. W.B. Saunders Philadelphia 1994. pp. 1024-1035.