A simple fluorescent technique for screening cervical cells prior to nuclear analysis.

Monolayer spreads of cervical cells were prepared and stained with haematoxylin and rhodamine-alpha-N-agmatine, a fluorescent marker for a cell surface protease. Mature epithelial cells from normal cervices lacked this cell surface enzyme and did not fluoresce. The abnormal cells possessed the cell surface enzyme, bound the probe and were quickly detected by fluorescence microscopy. The degree of abnormality of these fluorescent cells was determined by examination of their nuclear details, with the result that mild, moderate and severe dyskaryotic cells could be defined.