Alcohol-based solutions are preferred in histology for several reasons:
Fixation: Alcohols such as ethanol are effective fixatives that preserve the tissue structure by denaturing proteins, thus preventing autolysis and putrefaction. Dehydration: Alcohols are used to remove water from tissue samples during the dehydration process, which is a critical step before embedding the tissue in paraffin. Staining: Alcohol-based solutions are also employed in various staining protocols to enhance the contrast and visualization of different cellular components under the microscope.
