What is the function of formic acid solution in tissue processing?

Prepare for the Histopathology Board Exam. Enhance your skills with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question includes detailed explanations. Get ready to excel on your exam!

Formic acid is primarily used in tissue processing for the purpose of decalcification. In histopathology, when dealing with tissues that contain calcium deposits, such as bone or certain types of soft tissues, it is necessary to remove these mineral components to allow for proper tissue infiltration with embedding media like paraffin.

Formic acid effectively dissolves calcium salts, facilitating the decalcification process. This is crucial because it prepares the tissue for subsequent histological analysis, ensuring that the cellular details can be adequately observed under the microscope after the embedding and sectioning processes.

The other functions listed, such as dehydration, clarification, and staining, are related to different processes in tissue preparation. Dehydration involves the removal of water from tissues, typically using alcohol, and clarification refers to the use of substances that render tissues more transparent for better visibility without altering their structure. Staining is a separate step that involves adding dyes to the tissue sections after they have been prepared to highlight specific cellular components. Thus, formic acid's specific role in decalcification aligns with the needs of histological evaluation of calcified tissues.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy