Histotechnology-I (Practical) Notes
Subject Overview
The practical companion to Histotechnology-I, taking a specimen from reception through fixative preparation, decalcification, embedding, section cutting, mounting and H&E/
Subject at a glance
1
Units
15
Topics
2
Credits
1
Infographics
Unit-wise Syllabus
1 units — click WhatsApp below to get the full notes for each
Unit 1: The full tissue-processing workflow
- Dissection instruments
- antiseptics/disinfectants/insecticides in tissue processing
- specimen reception and labelling
- preparation of fixatives (Helly's, Zenker's, Bouin's, Corney's, neutral formalin, formal saline, formal acetic acid, Perenyi's fluid)
- embedding and block casting
- bone decalcification
- preparing 70% alcohol
- manual and automated tissue processing
- microtome parts and types
- knife sharpening (honing and stropping)
- section cutting and mounting
- tissue floatation bath and section drying
- Haematoxylin and Eosin staining
- PTAH staining
- mounting stained smears
Sections crumble
Poor processing or infiltration
Reprocess the tissue
Chatter (thick and thin bands)
Loose knife or block, or tissue too hard
Tighten; soften or decalcify
Scratches or splits
Nicked knife
Move to a sharp area of the blade
Ribbon won't form
Wax too hard or room too cold
Breathe on the block; use softer wax
Study guide
In this practical you run the whole tissue-processing workflow: dissection instruments, specimen reception and labelling, preparing fixatives (Helly's, Zenker's, Bouin's, Carnoy's, formalin variants), embedding and block casting, decalcification, manual and automated processing, microtome parts, knife sharpening, section cutting, floatation baths, H&E and PTAH staining and mounting. Label every specimen correctly from the start; a mix-up cannot be fixed later.
Why Histotechnology-I (Practical) Matters
The slide a pathologist reads is only as good as the technologist's work, so these are core, employable skills.
How to Prepare for Histotechnology-I (Practical)
- Practise block cutting until you can cut ribbons consistently.
- Follow safety rules when handling formalin and xylene.
- Keep a record of each block and slide.
Histotechnology-I (Practical): Frequently Asked Questions
What is done in the histotechnology-I practical?
Fixation, processing, embedding, sectioning and routine staining of tissue.