The late Michael H. Ross, Ph.D. was Professor and Chairman Emeritus of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida. For almost half a century, Dr. Ross contributed to histology education not only as an author of a popular histology textbook, but an equally recognized atlas. He was also a passionate teacher and mentor of several generations of medical students, fellows, and junior faculty. His research interest was in the male reproductive system, where he pioneered studies on the blood-testicular barrier and the role of the Sertoli cell in maintaining the barrier. Upon his retirement, Dr. Ross devoted his time to new editions of his histology textbook and to bringing to fruition this color Atlas of Descriptive Histology designed for today's student.Wojciech Pawlina, M.D. is Professor and Chair of the Department of Anatomy at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. He serves as the Assistant Dean for Curriculum Development and Innovation at Mayo Medical School and as the Medical Director of Procedural Skills Laboratory. Dr. Pawlina teaches gross anatomy, embryology, and histology to medical students, residents, fellows, and other health care professionals. His research interest in medical education is directed towards strategies to implement professionalism, leadership, and teamwork curriculum in early medical education. He is also Editor-in-Chief of the journal Anatomical Sciences Education.Todd A. Barnash is the Computer Support Specialist for the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Since 1993 he has been the primary information technology, information security, and digital imaging resource for the department and has collaborated with Michael H. Ross, Ph.D. as well as other faculty on numerous projects throughout his tenure at the University.

The basic idea is to present excellent illustrations of histological sections through all kinds of tissue and combine this with a careful labeling and a minimum of additional text. The entire layout and the explaining text show that the authors carefully thought about their readers. A special addition and, in my view, the strength of the book is its accompanying website. More offers for interactive learning are hard to imagine. In summary, the Atlas of Descriptive Histology is a modern book for lecture and research, combining print and online media. The authors and the publisher did produce a volume for the users, a fact that sounds trivial, but is not.

• PART I: EPITHELIAL TISSUE Simple Squamous and Simple Cuboidal Epithelia Simple and Pseudostratified Epithelia Stratified Epithelia Transitional Epithelium and Epitheleoid Tissues.- PART II: CONNECTIVE TISSUE Loose and Dense Irregular Connective Tissue Dense Irregular Connective Tissue Connective Tissue, Electron Microscopy Dense Regular Connective Tissue Elastic Fibers Reticular Fibers.- PART III: ADIPOSE TISSUE Adipose Tissue Adipose Tissue and Adipose Cell EM.- PART IV: CARTILAGE Hyaline Cartilage Hyaline Cartilage II, Electron Microscopy Hyaline Cartilage and the Developing Skeleton Fibrocartilage and Elastic Cartilage.- PART V: BONE Bone and Bone Tissue Bone, Ground Section Bone, Electron Microscopy Endochondral Bone Formation I Encochondral Bone Formation II Endochondral Bone Formation and Bone Resorption Intramembranous Bone Formation Developing Bone I, Electron Microscopy Developing Bone II, Electron Microscopy.- PART VI: BLOOD Erythrocytes and Granulocytes Agranulocytes and Red Marrow Erythropoeisis Granulopoeisis.- PART VII: MUSCLE TISSUE Skeletal Muscle I Skeletal Muscle II and Electron Microscopy Skeletal Muscle III, Electron Microscopy Myotendinal Junction Muscle Spindles and Developing Skeletal Muscle Neuromuscular Junction Cardiac Muscle Cardiac Intercalated Disc, Electron Microscopy Cardiac Muscle, Purkinje Fibers Smooth Muscle I Smooth Muscle II Smooth Muscle, Electron Microscopy.- PART VIII: NERVOUS TISSUE Peripheral Nerve Peripheral Nerve and Stains Perineurium, Electron Microscopy Sympathetic and Dorsal Root Ganglia Ganglion, Electron Microscopy Cerebrum Hippocampus, Lateral ventrical and Cerebellum Spinal Cord I Spinal Cord II.- PART IX: CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM Heart, Atrioventricular Wall Coronary Vessels Aorta Muscular Arteries and Veins Arterioles and Lymphatic Vessels Thoracic Duct Arteriole, Electron Microscopy.- PART X: LYMPHATIC TISSUE, LYMPHATIC ORGANS, AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM Palatine Tonsil Lymph Node I Lymph Node II Lymph Node III, Electron Microscopy Spleen I Spleen II Thymus, Infant Thymus, Adolescent and Mature.- PART XI: INTEGUMENTARY SYSTEM Skin I, 'Thick' Skin II, 'Thin' Epidermal Cells Fetal Skin and Dermis Eccrine and Apocrine Sweat Glands I Eccrine and Apocrine Sweat Glands II Sebaceous Glands Hair Follicle and Nail Sensory Organs of the Skin.- PART XII: DIGESTIVE SYSTEM I: ORAL CAVITY Lip, A Mucocutaneous Junction Tongue Tongue, Musculature and Filiform Paillae Tongue, Fungiform and Circumvalate Papilla Tongue, Foliate Papilla and Taste Buds Submandibular Gland Parotid Gland Sublingual Gland Tooth and Gingiva Developing Tooth.- PART XIII: DIGESTIVE SYSTEM II: ESOPHAGUS AND GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT Esophagus Esophagogastric Junction Fundic Stomach Gastroduodenal Junction Duodenum Jejunum Ileum Ileocecal Junction Colon.- Appendix Anorectal Junction.- PART XIV: DIGESTIVE SYSTEM III: LIVER, GALLBLADDER, AND PANCREAS.- Liver I Liver II Liver III and Fetal Liver Liver IV, Electron Microscopy Gallbladder Pancreas I Pancreas II Pancreas III PART XV: RESPIRATORY SYSTEM Olfactory Mucosa Larynx Epiglottis Trachea Respiratory Epithelium, Electron Microscopy Bronchiole and End Respiratory Passages Terminal and Respiratory Bronchioles, Alveolus PART XVI: URINARY SYSTEM Kidney I Kidney II Kidney III Kidney IV Fetal Kidney Ureter Urinary Bladder Wall with Terminal Ureter Urethra PART XVII: ENDOCRINE ORGANS Pituitary Gland I Pituitary Gland II Pineal Gland Thyroid Gland I Thyroid Gland II Parathyroid Gland Adrenal Gland