MOST: Tissue Processing/Histopath Techniques

• Mercuric chloride is the most common metallic fixative
• Carnoy's absolute is the most rapid alcohol fixative
• 10% Neutral Buffered Formalin is the best fixative for iron pigments and elastic fibers
• Acid is the most common decalcifying agent
• Nitric acid is the most common acid
• Phloroglucin Nitric acid is the most rapid nitric acid/decalcifying agent
• Dehydration is the most critical stage of tissue processing
• Alcohol is the most common dehydrating agent
• Xylene is the most common and most rapid clearing agent
• Paraffin wax is the most common in impregnation
• Rocking microtome is the simplest microtome
• Rotary microtome is the most common microtome
• Sliding microtome is the most dangerous microtome
• Neutral red is the best vital dye
• Eosin Y is the most commonly used form/shade of eosin and counterstain
• Iodine is the oldest stain
• Fixation is the most critical step in tissue processing
• Use of slightly hypertonic solution has the best results in fixation
• X-ray or Radiological method is the most ideal, sensitive, and reliable decalcification method
• Chemical method is the most convenient decalcification method
• Ethanol is the best dehydrating agent
• Mayer's egg albumin is the most commonly used adhesive
• Hematoxylin is the most valuable lipid stain
• Insufficient tissue to volume ratio is the most common error in histotechnology
• Alcohol-based fixatives are the most useful fixatives for preserving glycogen
• Neutral Buffered Saline or Formaldehyde vapor is the most commonly used fixative fixative for amino acid histochemistry
• 10% Buffered formalin is the most widely used fixative in routine histotechnology
• 10% Formol-saline is traditionally the most common fixative
• 3% is the most common glutaraldehyde concetration
• Flemming's is the most common osmic acid fixative
• Liquid nitrogen is the most rapid freezing agent
• Frozen section is the most ideal means if enzymes will be evaluated/studied
• H&E stain is the most commonly used stain for intraoperative consultation
• Drying is the most time-consuming part in freeze drying