Troubleshoots Flashcards
Name/ Causes/ remedy
Appear as loss or total disappearance of nuclear chromatin, cell shrinkage, artifactual space around cells, desquamation (loss epithelial cells)
Autolysis (fixation)
Cause: delayed or inadequate fixation
Remedy: placed in fixative ASAP, volume 15-20X, open or slice large specimens, gross thin section, bisect lymph nodes
Name/cause/remedy
Appear as separation of tissue components on water bath during microtomy, H&E shows nuclear bubbling or smudgy
Incomplete fixation (fixation)
Cause :
-not enough time in fixative
- fixative depleted causing inadequate fixation prior dehydration
Remedy:
-increase time in fixative
- change to another fixative
- place formal alcohol in first 3 stages of tissue processing
- ensure thin grossed section
- ensure fixative not depleted ( change sol’n frequently)
- don’t pack cassettes tightly
Tissues become hard, brittle or shrunken
Dehydration issue from excessive dehydration
Prohibit the penetration of the clearing agent into the tissue, leaving the specimen soft and mushy and non-receptive to infiltration
Dehydration issue- incomplete dehydration