Reactive Cellular Changes

Cytologic features:

• nuclear enlargement
• 1.5 to 2 times in squamous cells
• more in endocervical cells
• nuclear outlines are smooth, round, uniform
• minimal nuclear pleomorphism
• uniformly finely granular chromatin
• mild hyperchromasia may be present
• vesicular and hypochromatic nuclei may be seen
• single or multiple prominent nucleoli
• typical mitoses may be seen
• binucleation or multinucleation occasionally may be seen
• flat, monolayer sheets of cells with distinct cell borders
• streaming nuclear polarity
• single cells with nuclear changes are not usually seen
• intracytoplasmic PMNs
• cytoplasmic processes (spider cells) may be seen in squamous metaplasia