What is the likely cause of 'parched earth' or 'cracked' appearance in the tissue when viewed under the microscope?
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Correct answer: Overheated paraffin or over-drying
If the paraffin used for embedding is too hot or if the tissue sections are dried on a hot plate at excessive temperatures, the tissue can shrink and crack. This creates a pattern of fine lines reminiscent of dried mud.
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More Histological Artifacts questions
- Which artifact is characterized by empty circular spaces within the cytoplasm of cells, often seen in frozen sections?
- The presence of a dark, opaque, granular precipitate throughout a section fixed in Zenker's or B-5 fixative is likely:
- If a tissue section appears 'cloudy' or 'milky' after clearing with xylene and before mounting, what is the most likely cause?
- What histological artifact is caused by the slow rate of fixative penetration, leading to enzymatic degradation of the tissue center?
- Which artifact results in a 'shish-kebab' or 'telescoping' effect where tissue layers are pushed into one another?
- Which of the following can cause the 'knife line' artifact, seen as a straight vertical tear across the section?