The fine structure of exfoliated cervical and vaginal cells.

In order to understand the means by which cellular aggregates were maintained in gynecologic samples, the fine structure of samples derived from a number of women of various ages was examined with special attention paid to the intercellular junctions. Most cells in the samples were squamous cells containing numerous intercellular fibrils and glycogen granules. Parabasal or intermediate cells were also seen as well as occasional endocervical cells. All of these cell types were often found as parts of aggregates and, while other cell junctions were present, desmosomes were the most prominent. It was concluded that desmosomes were probably responsible for maintaining the aggregated state of many of the cells found in gynecologic samples.