 FOLDER 23.5 Clinical Correlation: Cytologic Pap Smears aabba b FIGURE F23.5.1 • Photomicrographs of cervical smears. a. Negative cervical smear. The surface squamous cells reveal small pyknotic nuclei and abundant cytoplasm. Other cells in the micrograph include red blood cells and neutrophils. 600. b. Abnormal smear. Many of the cells in this specimen contain large nuclei with no evidence of pyknosis (arrows). The cytoplasm is relatively scant. Other cells exhibit a more normal appearance with pyknotic nuclei and more surrounding cytoplasm (arrowheads). Neutrophils are also present. 600.
penis. Abundant melanin pigment is present in the deep cells of the epithelium. The core of connective tissue within each fold is devoid of fat but does contain numerous blood vessels and fine elastic fibers. Large sebaceous glands are present in the stroma.
 The clitoris is an erectile structure that is homologous to the penis. Its body is composed of two small erectile bodies, the corpora cavernosa; the glans clitoris is a small, rounded tubercle of erectile tissue. The skin over the glans is very thin, forms the prepuce of the clitoris, and contains numerous sensory nerve endings.
 Vestibule. The vestibule is lined with stratified squamous epithelium. Numerous small mucous glands, the lesser vestibular glands (also called Skene’s glands), are present primarily near the clitoris and around the external urethral orifice. The large, paired greater vestibular glands (also called Bartholin’s glands) are homologous to the male bulbourethral glands. These tuboalveolar glands are
FIGURE 23.29 • Photomicrograph of the inner surface of the labia majora. This low-power H&E–stained specimen of the labia majora’s inner surface shows its nonkeratinized epithelium (Ep) and abundant sebaceous glands (SG). Two sebaceous ducts (SD) are also evident. Note the continuity of the duct epithelium with the epithelium of the skin and the sebaceous gland epithelium. At this magnification, several smooth muscle bundles can just barely be discerned (arrows).
about 1 cm in diameter and are located in the lateral wall of the vestibule posterior to the bulb of the vestibule. The greater vestibular glands secrete lubricating mucus. The ducts of these glands open into the vestibule near the vaginal opening. If the duct of the Bartholin’s gland becomes obstructed, it usually dilates and fills with a secretion produced by the gland. This condition, known as Bartholin’s cyst, may become infected within a few days, causing severe pain, redness, and enlargement of the involved labia majora. Purulent material in Bartholin’s abscess usually requires surgical incision with drainage or complete excision.
Numerous sensory nerve endings are present in the external genitalia:  Meissner’s corpuscles are particularly abundant in the skin over the mons pubis and labia majora.
 Pacinian corpuscles are distributed in the deeper layers of the connective tissue and are found in the labia majora and in association with the erectile tissue. The sensory impulses from these nerve endings play an important role in the physiologic response during sexual arousal.
 Free nerve endings are present in large numbers and are equally distributed in the skin of the external genitalia.