Histology vs. Cytology

Main Difference

The main difference between Histology and Cytology is that the Histology is a study of the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues of plants and animals and Cytology is a branch of life science that deals with the study of cells in terms of structure, function and chemistry.

• Histology

  Histology is the study of the microscopic anatomy (microanatomy) of cells and tissues of plants and animals. It is commonly performed by examining cells and tissues under a light microscope or electron microscope, the specimen having been sectioned (cut into a thin cross section with a microtome), stained, and mounted on a microscope slide. Histological studies may be conducted using tissue culture, where live human or animal cells are isolated and maintained in an artificial environment for various research projects. The ability to visualize or differentially identify microscopic structures is frequently enhanced through the use of histological stains. Histology is an essential tool of biology and medicine.

  Histopathology, the microscopic study of diseased tissue, is an important tool in anatomical pathology, since accurate diagnosis of cancer and other diseases usually requires histopathological examination of samples. Trained physicians, frequently licensed pathologists, are the personnel who perform histopathological examination and provide diagnostic information based on their observations. The trained personnel who prepare histological specimens for examination are histotechnicians, histotechnologists, histology technicians (HT), histology technologists (HTL), medical scientists, medical laboratory technicians, or biomedical scientists and Biomedical Science Support Workers. Their field of study is called histotechnology.

• Cytology

  Cytology (from Greek κύτος, kytos, “a hollow”; and -λογία, -logia) is the study of cells. Cytology is that branch of life science that deals with the study of cells in terms of structure, function and chemistry. Robert Hooke (1635 – 1703) is sometimes seen as the father of cytology.

  Based on usage it can refer to:

  Cytogenetics

  Cytopathology: the study of cellular disease and the use of cellular changes for the diagnosis of disease.

  Cell biology, or cytobiology: the study of (normal) cellular anatomy, function and chemistry.

  The International Academy of Cytology has as its official journal Acta Cytologica.