Body Fluids

Students should be able to:

• Describe the production and collection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
• Describe the gross appearance of CSF specimens.
• Describe the principles of manual chamber counts, cytocentrifuge preparation, and Wright staining
• Identify the major types of normal and abnormal cells in CSF and describe their significance
• List the glandular contributions and cellular components of seminal fluid.
• Describe the methods used to determine sperm concentration, motility and morphology.
• List the abnormalities detected and reference ranges for semen analysis.
• Discuss the goals and limitations of semen analysis in the clinical setting.
• Describe the normal production of serous fluids and the mechanisms of formation of transudates and exudates.
• Distinguish transudates and exudates using lab testing, and understand their significance.
• Describe the gross appearance of serous fluid specimens.
• Describe the principles of manual chamber counts, cytocentrifuge preparation, and Wright staining.
• Identify the major types of normal and abnormal cells in serous fluids and their significance.
• Describe the basic classification of synovial effusions.
• Describe the gross appearance of synovial fluid specimens
• Discuss the principles and applications of polarizing microscopy and compensated polarizing microscopy, and how to perform them
• Distinguish urate crystals from calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystals
• Describe other crystals, artifacts, inclusions, and cell types that may be present in synovial fluids