What does impregnation in tissue processing involve?

Impregnation in tissue processing refers to the process of filling the tissue samples with an embedding medium, such as paraffin wax or resin. This step is crucial because it provides the necessary support for the tissue during subsequent slicing into thin sections, which is essential for microscopic examination. The embedding medium infiltrates the spaces within the tissue, ensuring that the cellular structure is preserved and can be handled properly without distortion.

This process occurs after the tissue has been fixed and cleared, preparing it for optimal interaction with the embedding medium. Successfully impregnated tissues yield better sectioning characteristics, resulting in clearer slides for diagnostic evaluation. Given its significance in maintaining the integrity of the histological architecture, impregnation ensures that the resulting tissue blocks can be cut accurately and observed under the microscope, allowing for effective diagnosis and study of pathological specimens.