I had such an awesome post, but I accidentally hit "backspace" outside of the text field-grrr.

Anyway, I'm gonna be quick cause I don't wanna write it all out again.

 For your lab exam, remember:

1.  If an arrow is needed to ID something, they can't ask it on the lab exam.  So, the questions are going to be, "name the predominate tissue type", or "name the predominate connective tissue", or "name the organ" (not so much this quarter for this one).

2. Dr. Patrick was in charge of picking the  slides for the lab exam and Dr. Rhodes did the image exam (last year).  So, even though one professor didn't lecture on that topic, you need to know the detail that the other professor would like you to have.

3. Write down the types of things they can ask, such as CT, Muscle, Epithelium, Organs.  Then, write down the different types they can ask.  Such as Dense Regular CT, Loose Irregular, Dense Irregular, Blood, Bone, etc...  Do this for all of those.   Once you have done that, write down defining characteristics about each. 

Don't just settle with the most common (or a single defining structure).  Such as, Dr. Patrick may give you a cardiac muscle that doesn't have intercalated disks apparent, but shows good interdigitations.  Another classic (for the image exam) is Dr. Rhodes might give you an epithelium that looks pseudo strat., but you aren't certain if it is ciliated or stereocilia.  His image may show clumping (not so definitive, even though that is what everybody says), but he may go to super high power and you will see the lack of basal bodies (definitive)--now you know that it is stereocilia.

 4. Look at every slide that was referenced in the lab handouts (not necessarily the first lab) from ALL 4 boxes.  There are different stains and you should be familiar with all.

 5. Pimp each other in lab while you study, such as, "take a look at this and tell me what you think".  Pass the slide upside down to the student (it doesn't matter if it is upside down or not on the tray).

6. If you are still lost, watch those DVDs.  They will help you, even if you already watched them.  I watched all of them twice, and some three times (the glandular tissues that you will see next quarter, in particular).

7. Put look alike slides on the tray (you can fit two slides on a tray) and go back and forth, looking at the differences.  This is huge for Dense Regular CT and Smooth Muscle.  DO NOT rely on the stain.  Focus on the nuclei and size of fibers. 

That should get you through.  I don't remember if blood is on this lab exam.  It will be on the image test, however, and it is a KICK IN THE PANTS!  I thought that blood was hardest subject of histo (the differences are so subtle).  The DVDs are an absolute MUST for this.  DON'T DON'T DON'T waste your time trying to learn the blood in lab--the slides are terrible.  Use the DVDs and atlases.

I will send out a good blood chart later (as soon as I can conjure it up). 

erik