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Questions and Answers
What is the primary purpose of the fixation step in tissue processing?
What is the primary purpose of the fixation step in tissue processing?
What is the function of the clearing step in tissue processing?
What is the function of the clearing step in tissue processing?
What is the result of poor tissue handling and storage?
What is the result of poor tissue handling and storage?
What is the purpose of section quality control?
What is the purpose of section quality control?
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What factor can affect the quality of processed tissue?
What factor can affect the quality of processed tissue?
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Why is equipment maintenance important in tissue processing?
Why is equipment maintenance important in tissue processing?
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Study Notes
Tissue Processing in Histopathology
Steps Involved
- Fixation: Preserves the tissue, preventing decay and autolysis. Common fixatives include formalin, ethanol, and methanol.
- Dehydration: Removes water from the tissue using solutions of increasing concentration (e.g., 70%, 95%, and 100% ethanol).
- Clearing: Replaces ethanol with a solvent (e.g., xylene or toluene) to prepare the tissue for infiltration.
- Infiltration: Replaces the solvent with melted wax (e.g., paraffin or beeswax).
- Embedding: Places the tissue in a block of wax, allowing for sectioning.
- Sectioning: Cuts the tissue into thin slices (typically 4-10 μm) using a microtome.
- Mounting: Attaches the section to a glass slide.
- Staining: Enhances visibility of tissue components using dyes (e.g., hematoxylin and eosin).
Factors Affecting Tissue Processing
- Fixative type and duration: Affects tissue morphology and antigenicity.
- Temperature and pH: Influence enzyme activity and tissue degradation.
- Tissue size and type: Impact processing time and section quality.
- Equipment and reagent quality: Affect the reliability of results.
Quality Control Measures
- Tissue handling and storage: Prevents contamination and degradation.
- Reagent quality control: Ensures consistency and effectiveness of processing.
- Equipment maintenance: Prevents instrument failure and ensures optimal performance.
- Section quality control: Verifies section thickness, staining, and morphology.
Tissue Processing in Histopathology
Steps Involved
- Fixation preserves tissue, preventing decay and autolysis, using common fixatives like formalin, ethanol, and methanol.
- Dehydration removes water from tissue using solutions of increasing concentration (e.g., 70%, 95%, and 100% ethanol).
- Clearing replaces ethanol with a solvent (e.g., xylene or toluene) to prepare tissue for infiltration.
- Infiltration replaces the solvent with melted wax (e.g., paraffin or beeswax).
- Embedding places the tissue in a block of wax, allowing for sectioning.
- Sectioning cuts the tissue into thin slices (typically 4-10 μm) using a microtome.
- Mounting attaches the section to a glass slide.
- Staining enhances visibility of tissue components using dyes (e.g., hematoxylin and eosin).
Factors Affecting Tissue Processing
- Fixative type and duration affect tissue morphology and antigenicity.
- Temperature and pH influence enzyme activity and tissue degradation.
- Tissue size and type impact processing time and section quality.
- Equipment and reagent quality affect the reliability of results.
Quality Control Measures
- Tissue handling and storage prevent contamination and degradation.
- Reagent quality control ensures consistency and effectiveness of processing.
- Equipment maintenance prevents instrument failure and ensures optimal performance.
- Section quality control verifies section thickness, staining, and morphology.
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Description
Learn the essential steps involved in tissue processing, from fixation to infiltration, in histopathology. Understand the importance of each step in preparing tissue samples for examination.
