Histology and Tissue Processing

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and definitions related to histology and tissue processing.

Histology

The branch of science which deals with the gross & microscopic study of normal tissue and cells.

Cytology

The science that deals with the structure and function of the cell.

Histopathology

The branch of science which deals with the gross & microscopic study of tissue affected by disease.

Tissue Processing

The techniques for processing tissues in order to be examined by histologists and pathologists.

Paraffin Technique

The most commonly used tissue processing technique that requires a short time, gives thin sections, and is easy to stain.

Celloidin Technique

A technique that produces perfect sections with fine details but requires a long time and does not allow easy staining.

Freezing Technique (Cryostat)

The rapid method for diagnosing tumors that preserves enzymes and proteins, but creates thick sections that are hard to cut.

Fixation

The process of treating a specimen with a fixative to preserve tissues in a life-like state and prevent autolysis.

Dehydration

The process of eliminating water from the tissue using organic solvents such as ethyl alcohol in ascending concentrations.

Clearing

The step in tissue processing where alcohol is replaced with a paraffin solvent like xylene to make the tissue translucent.

Embedding

The process where tissues are placed in molten wax to form a paraffin block after solidification.

Staining

The procedure applied to sections to enhance visibility and detail of specific tissue components.

Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E)

The routine stain used to visualize tissue structures.

Electron Microscope

A type of microscope that uses an electron beam for illumination, providing much higher resolution than light microscopes.

Resolution Power

The least distance between two points that can still be distinguished as separate entities.

Optical Microscopy

A microscopy technique using visible light to magnify and examine histological specimens.