Help! Good books on genetics, cytology and istology

I'm looking for university texts on 
genetics, cytology and istology , 
suited for a first course for biologists . 
Have you suggestions based on your own experience? 

They should work for self teaching, thus should be

    - big
    - possibly not merely abstract: 
      also connections to laboratory experience, if not real life 
    - with a good variety of exercises (at least for genetics)

      but above all

    - with the *answers* to the exercises !!

           Thank you

                                 wrb

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