TISSUE PROCESSING
TISSUE PROCESSING
Describes the various steps required to take the tissue from fixation to the state where it is completely infiltrated with suitable histological wax and can be embedded ready for section cutting on the microtome.
In order to enable the pathologist to diagnose the presence or absence of disease, the histotechnologist needs to produce a tissue section of good quality that allows for adequate interpretation of microscopic cellular changes. Solid tissues need to be fixed and processed to preserve their structures, and eventually impregnated with an appropriate hardening substance to permit making thin slices suitable for staining and microscopic evaluation.
Processing solid structures and tissues in the following order:
Processing solid structures and tissues in the following order:
One. Numbering and Gross/Macroscopic Examination
Two. Fixation
Three. Decalcification (optional)
Four. Dehydration
Five. Clearing
Six. Impregnation (Infiltration)
Seven. Embedding
Eight. Trimming
Nine. Section-Cutting (Microtomy)
Ten. Staining
Eleven. Mounting
Twelve. Labeling