Abstract

ROJAS-LEMUS, Marcela  and  MILAN-CHAVEZ, Rebeca. The boundaries between Histology and Biochemistry: Visualizing the cellular nucleus. Rev. Fac. Med. (Méx.) [online]. 2016, vol.59, n.1, pp.45-56. ISSN 2448-4865.

Cellular Biology and Medical Histology as well Biochemistry are basic courses in the medical curriculum of the first year. Each course - Histology and Biochemistry - deals with different aspects of the genetic material and from the organelle that contains it; Biochemistry reviews the metabolic aspects of DNA while Cellular Biology and Medical Histology studies the nucleus from a morphological point of view.

Although it is clear that the genetic material is contained within the nucleus, for many students this association is not obvious, as well as for some general practitioners. Therefore, it is important to consider from the trenches of Basic Sciences, to establish clear association between the nucleus (as described in Histology) and the duplication of genetic material (as it is reviewed in Biochemistry). The concept of “micronucleus” is also added because a micronucleus is the morphological evidence of failures during duplication (or segregation) of the genetic material during cell division, which is involved in processes of cell malignancy. Because we believe that by reading this text, students will be able simultaneously to analyze these components with “histological-biochemical eye”, integrate the acquired knowledge in both areas and to establish relationships with pathological processes, while the general practitioner would “return to already visited paths”.

Keywords : nucleus; DNA; duplication; micronucleus.

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