Tissue Processing Flashcards
6 cards from real ASCP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Tissue Processing flashcards as text
During dehydration, tissues are passed through graded alcohols starting from what concentration?
Answer: 70%
Graded dehydration typically begins at 70% alcohol to avoid osmotic shock and cell distortion from sudden water removal.
Which of the following is NOT a standard step in automated tissue processing?
Answer: Decalcification
Decalcification is a separate pre-processing step performed on calcified tissues and is not part of the standard automated processing cycle.
What temperature is paraffin wax typically maintained at during infiltration?
Answer: 60°C
Paraffin wax is maintained at approximately 60°C during infiltration to keep it in its liquid state for proper tissue impregnation.
What is the term for the process of surrounding embedded tissue with paraffin wax in a mold?
Answer: Embedding
Embedding is the process of orienting tissue in molten paraffin within a mold to create a block for sectioning.
Which fixative is preferred for electron microscopy due to superior ultrastructural preservation?
Answer: Glutaraldehyde
Glutaraldehyde provides superior ultrastructural preservation by cross-linking proteins more effectively than formaldehyde for electron microscopy.
What is the primary purpose of a tissue processor's vacuum function?
Answer: To speed reagent infiltration into dense tissues
Vacuum accelerates the infiltration of reagents, especially paraffin, into dense or fatty tissues by reducing air pockets.