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MEDLINE Indexing Online Training Course

Category A - Anatomy

Indexing Principles

Tissue types are usually indexed NIM with a specific organ IM.

Cervical epithelium
*CERVIX UTERI
EPITHELIUM (NIM)

However if the tissue type is the main point and the organ is merely the source, the tissue type is indexed IM.

Study of epithelial tissue (tissue was obtained from the cervix)
*EPITHELIUM
CERVIX UTERI (NIM)

Reserve the MeSH headings BLOOD, CEREBRAL SPINAL FLUID and URINE for articles where they are discussed as substances by themselves. In most cases the subheadings /blood /csf or /urine are used with an animal, a disease or a chemical substance.

Specific gravity of urine
URINE/*chem
SPECIFIC GRAVITY
Measurement of calcium in the urine
CALCIUM/*urine

Indexing Cell Lines and Cultured Cells
The terms CELLS, CULTURED, CELL LINE and the specifics treed under them appear frequently in the pre-clinical literature. They are usually indexed NIM with no subheading because the CELL LINE and CULTURED CELLS are just the source of cells to study some aspect of cell biology. Add the check tags animal or human and the specific animal (NIM) if that can be determined.

Study of cell division (MDOC a sheep cell line was used)
*CELL DIVISION
CELL LINE
SHEEP
ANIMAL (check tag)

Occasionally the cell line is the main point of the article such as the description of a new cell line. In this case the cell line term is IM.

Description of a new rat macrophage cell line
*CELL LINE
MACROPHAGES/*cytol
*RATS
ANIMAL (check tag)

There are many specific cell lines and tumor cell lines in MeSH. Check for the most specific term.

Last Reviewed: November 19, 2013