Disciplines and Occupations

Cytology

The study of single cell as a unit of living organisms. Cytopathology, a branch of this discipline, studies structural changes of cells in diseases and is used in diagnosing diseases.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

The study of single cell as a unit of living organisms. Cytopathology, a branch of this discipline, studies structural changes of cells in diseases and is used in diagnosing diseases.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

MeSH Qualifier

Used as a Subheading

Cytology is also a MeSH subheading (qualifier Q000166), attached to other headings to focus them on this aspect:

Used for cellular appearance of unicellular and multicellular organisms.

Qualifier ID
Q000166
Qualifier Tree
Y02.020

Indexing annotation

subhead only; normal structure only; for non-normal, use /pathology; includes cellular & intracellular structure, morphology, multiplication, cell cycle, differentiation, etc.; see also /ultrastructure; indexing policy: Manual 19.8.20; DF: /cytol or /CY

Subheading synonyms

  • cellular aspects
  • cell morphology
  • cell structure
  • cellular morphology
  • cellular structure

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Related Concepts

Knowledge Graph

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

2 entry terms
  • Cytopathology
  • Cytopathologies

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

11 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings classification, economics, education, ethics, history, instrumentation, legislation & jurisprudence, organization & administration, standards, statistics & numerical data, trends.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

Indexers: Do not use. Use CYTODIAGNOSIS instead; the discipline only (education, history, etc); for cytological structures use the qualifer /cytol with specific anatomical term or organism; for pathological structures use the qualifer /pathol with specific anatomical term

MeSH Record

History Note

2023 (1984)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. H01w.158w.273w.198w
  2. H02w.403w.650w.500w.500w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

QY 21

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Cytology. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D000093222. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D000093222
  2. Cytology. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytology
  3. Cytology. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3009579