Light micrograph of the colon, or large bowel, showing the growth of polyps from the mucosa. Polyps are abnormal overgrowths of the glandular epithelium. They may occur singly or in many numbers and may achieve diameters of several centimetres or larger. In some disease conditions there may be hundreds or thousands and may arise in any segment of the gut from the stomach to the rectum. Often benign (adenoma) but can transform to malignancy (adenocarcinoma). Paraffin section, haematoxylin and eosin stain. Magnification: x65 when width printed at 10cm.