What Happens to the Biopsy Sample After Collection?
Once a biopsy sample is collected, it undergoes several stages of processing before histological examination:
Fixation: The tissue sample is preserved using chemicals like formalin to prevent degradation. Embedding: The fixed sample is embedded in a solid medium, usually paraffin wax, to allow thin sectioning. Sectioning: The embedded sample is sliced into very thin sections using a microtome. Staining: The sections are stained with specific dyes to highlight different cellular components. Microscopic Examination: The stained sections are examined under a microscope by a histologist or pathologist.
