Microtomy or section cutting is the technique of making the very thin slices of tissue specimens for the microscopic examination to identify the abnormalities or atypical appearance in the tissue (if present) and also for the study of various components of the cells or tissues like Lipids, Enzymes, Antigens or ...
What is sectioning in tissue processing?
Sectioning is the process of cutting tissue into thin slices . Tissue is typically embedded with optimal cutting temperature (OCT) or paraffin prior to being sectioned. ... Sections from both whole blocks and tissue microarrays can also be generated.
What is sectioning in histology?
In histology, sectioning refers to the service of cleanly and consistently cutting paraffin embedded or frozen tissue into a thin slice . These thin slices are referred to as sections and are then mounted to a slide. There are two main categories of sectioning, referred to as paraffin or frozen sectioning.
Why is tissue sectioned?
Chill paraffin -embedded tissue blocks on ice before sectioning. Cold wax allows thinner sections to be obtained by providing support for harder elements within the tissue specimen. The small amount of moisture that penetrates the block from the melting ice will also make the tissue easier to cut.
What is microtome sectioning?
Sectioning. A microtome is a specialized precision cutting instrument , which accurately and repeatedly slices sections from a block of embedded tissue. Different kinds of microtomes are used to section paraffin and plastic embedded tissues (Figs.
What is the purpose of sectioning in histology?
In histology, sectioning refers to the service of cleanly and consistently cutting paraffin embedded or frozen tissue into a thin slice . These thin slices are referred to as sections and are then mounted to a slide. There are two main categories of sectioning, referred to as paraffin or frozen sectioning.
What are the steps in tissue processing?
- Obtaining a fresh specimen. Fresh tissue specimens will come from various sources. ...
- Fixation. The specimen is placed in a liquid fixing agent (fixative) such as formaldehyde solution (formalin). ...
- Dehydration. ...
- Clearing. ...
- Wax infiltration. ...
- Embedding or blocking out.
How is Section cutting done in histopathology?
Once embedded, tissues are cut into thin sections ready to be placed on a slide. This is done with a microtome , an apparatus for feeding the blocks past an ultrasharp blade with micron level precision. As sections are cut, they are floated on a warm water bath to smooth out any wrinkles. ...
How is histopathology done?
The tissue that is studied comes from a biopsy or surgical procedure whereby a sample of the suspect tissue is selected and sent to the laboratory. It is then processed and cut into very thin layers (called sections), stained, and examined under microscopes to characterize the details of the cells in the tissue.
How do you fix a histology tissue?
Cut tissue into smaller pieces (max. 4-5 mm), and use ample amount of fixative , making sure tissue is completely immersed in the fixative. Fixation must be performed for no more than 24-36 hours depending on the size of tissue. Timing of the exposure of a sample to the fixative is important and must be calibrated.
What is the process of sectioning?
Being sectioned means being admitted to hospital whether or not you agree to it . The legal authority for your admission to hospital comes from the Mental Health Act rather than from your consent. This is usually because you are unable or unwilling to consent.
Why embedding is importance in histology?
Embedding is important in preserving tissue morphology and giving the tissue support during sectioning . ... When generating paraffin-embedded tissue samples, the tissue must be fixed before embedding in paraffin. Fixation is achieved by perfusion or immersion immediately following dissection.
What is the aim of fixation?
The aim of fixation is to preserve cells or tissues in as near a life-like condition as possible , prevent autolysis and putrefaction, and protect the tissue from damage during subsequent processing.
What are types of microtome?
- hand microtome.
- rotational microtome.
- sledge microtome.
- cryostat (freezing microtome)
- ultramicrotome.
What are the most common Microtomy artifacts found?
- Tissues: Intestine, liver, lymph node, bloody tissue, spleen, and brain.
- Causes: Over-dehydrated tissue, dull knife, clearance angle too wide, cutting too rapidly, or vibration in microtome parts.
