Mastering Light Microscopy Techniques

The purpose of fixation in light microscopy is to retard the alterations of tissue subsequent to death and maintain its normal architecture.

The objectives of fixation are to prevent autolysis and bacterial attack, to fix the tissues so that their volume and shape will not change during processing, to prepare the tissue for clear staining of sections, and to leave the tissue as close as possible to its living state without losing small molecules.

Fixation occurs by a reaction between the fixative and protein, which forms a gel and keeps everything in their in vivo relation to each other.

<p>The steps involved in the processing of the tissue for light microscopy are fixation, dehydration in a series of acetone, embedding in paraffin wax, sectioning, and staining with Hematoxylin-Eosin (H&amp;E).</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The sections used in light microscopy are 4-5µ thick.</p> Signup and view all the answers