What is the Role of Fixatives in Tissue Preservation?
Fixatives are chemicals that stabilize tissues by cross-linking proteins and other molecules. Formaldehyde is the most commonly used fixative, especially in the form of 10% neutral buffered formalin. It penetrates tissues quickly and provides excellent preservation of morphological details. Glutaraldehyde is another effective fixative, often used for electron microscopy due to its superior preservation of ultrastructural details.
