Severe cervical dysplasia. Light micrograph of a section through the human cervical epithelium showing abnormal growth which can lead to cancer (severe dysplasia CIN- 3). Normal epithelium has a stratified appearance with all cells of a similar shape and size. In the severe dysplasia seen here, dysplastic cells are stained dark pink (at upper image). They have lost their stratified appearance, showing irregular shapes and sizes. Also, enlarged purple nuclei are indicative of abnormal cell division occurring throughout the dysplastic cells, something only seen in a single small layer in normal epithelium. Papanicalou stained cells. Magnification: x100 at 35mm size.