Which field studies tissues under the microscope?

• A. Cytology
• B. Gross Anatomy
• C. Microscopic Anatomy
• D. Histology

Answer: (D)

Studying tissues under the microscope is histology. This field focuses on how tissues are organized at the cellular and extracellular level, using prepared tissue sections and stains to reveal patterns that define different tissue types, such as epithelium, connective tissue, muscle, and nervous tissue. You examine how cells fit together, how they interact with the surrounding matrix, and how staining highlights structures like nuclei, fibers, and membranes.

Cytology, by contrast, looks at individual cells and their morphology rather than tissue architecture. Gross anatomy covers structures visible to the naked eye, and microscopic anatomy is a broader term that can include tissue- and cell-level studies, but histology is the specific discipline dedicated to tissues observed under the microscope.