In medical practice, cytology is commonly used in diagnostic medicine to identify abnormal cells that may indicate the presence of cancer or other diseases.
Basic sciences of medicine. Anatomy is the study of the physical structure of organisms. In contrast to gross or macroscopic anatomy, cytology and histology are concerned with microscopic structures.
But wait, if even complex staining panels fail 70% of the time, how can a relatively simple cytology slide possibly give us the answer the cells are just floating around, right?
Anatomy is the study of the body's structure; physiology is the study of the body's function. Other studies of human body include cytology, embryology, histology, immunology, endocrinology, hematology, biology, psychology etc.
In basic medical research, advances in cytology have led to a better understanding of cell biology, which has helped contribute to the development of new treatments for a wide range of diseases.