What is a common consequence of inadequate fixation?

Inadequate fixation can lead to decreased tissue structural integrity. Fixation is a critical step in the histopathology process, as it preserves the tissue architecture and cellular morphology. Proper fixation stabilizes proteins and nucleic acids, preventing decay and autolysis, which helps maintain the natural state of the tissue for subsequent examination.

When fixation is not adequate, the tissue may undergo autolysis, leading to the breakdown of cellular structures and loss of important histological details. This can obscure the evaluation of pathological changes, making it difficult to identify abnormalities or accurately diagnose conditions. Therefore, decreased structural integrity due to inadequate fixation directly impacts the quality of the histological analysis and can lead to misinterpretation of the findings.