Question

During puberty, the vaginal epithelium undergoes metaplasia, changing the simple cuboidal ET into stratified squamous ET. What is the purpose for this metaplasia at puberty? How does this assist in the diagnosis for sex abuse of pre-puescent girls

Answer 1

VILLA The process by which a fully differentiated type d_epetizelium transtoome into another differentialed type is called metaplasia During puberty, due to hormonal changes cervix will evert and cause exposure of fragile glandular epitheliups to a harshër and more acidic environment of vagina. The reserve cells in the endocervical epithelium will stast dividing These cells proliferate to from a multilayer of immature parabasalcells. A surface layer of mucinous columnas cells can often be seen on the surface The immature cells differentiate into mature squamous epithelium , which is nearly indistinguishable bom &quamous epithelium Endocervical crypts may be seen deep to the susface epithelium