Organic solvents are essential in histology for several reasons:
Dehydration: Solvents like ethanol and isopropanol are used to dehydrate tissue samples by replacing water molecules with the solvent. This step is crucial for the subsequent embedding process. Clearing: Solvents such as xylene and toluene are used to clear the tissue samples, making them transparent. This helps in the infiltration of embedding media like paraffin. Embedding: Organic solvents help in the process of embedding tissues in paraffin, providing a stable medium for sectioning and staining.
