Cell pathology-histopathology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cell pathology-histopathology - Essay Example After collection of tissue samples, preparation of the collected sample for histological evaluation commences (Anthony, 1998). Leica TP 1020, an automated tissue processor, facilitates fixation, dehydration and infiltration of the tissue sample (Hoppert, 2003). Tissue processing has four distinct steps namely: fixation, dehydration, clearing, embedding, and impregnation (Hoppert, 2003). Fixation aims at preserving the tissue by inhibiting autolysis and decomposition. An ideal fixative, formalin, achieves this by hardening the tissue sample with minimal shrinkage, and allows for subsequent staining of the sample (An, and Martin 2003, p.15). Dehydration of the fixed tissue is possible via the introduction of the specimen in alcohol of varying concentrations. The purpose of this step is to remove water from the tissue sample, and ready the sample for embedding. Xylene, a clearing, agent eliminate the alcohol from the specimen in a process called clearing. . T he alcohol free tissue sample passes through tubes containing molten paraffin wax. The wax replaces the clearing fluid in the tissue achieving infiltrati on. This stage marks the end of tissue processing. The processing of tissue occurs through molding and pouring of wax as a cover. This mould was to cool and solidify. This procedure embeds the tissue in solid media affording it support. This step is crucial for the production of blocks that will yield thin sections. The gyratory microtome produces ribbons containing thin, uniform slices of the tissue sample. Placing the ribbon in warm water bath facilitates their flattening. By use of forceps, a thin slice of the specimen lifted and mounted on a clean glass slide. Finally, flooding the glass slide with eosin dye achieves staining (An, and Martin 2003, p.17). Tissue processing aids a pathologist to diagnose a disease. Histology technicians, who act as assistants to the pathologists, apply tissue-processing techniques to prepare collected