CHAPTER 1 Pt. 1 Histology and Its Methods of Study Flashcards
The study of tissues of the body and how these tissues are arranged to constitute organs
Histology
Tissue’s 2 interacting components
cell; extracellular matrix
ECM two components
fibers; ground substance
supports the cells and contains the fluid transporting nutrients to the cells, and carrying away their wastes and secretory products
ECM
produce the ECM locally and are in turn strongly influenced by matrix molecules
Cells
many of the matrix components bind to _________________that span the cell membranes and connect
to structural components inside the cells, forming a continuum in which cells and the ECM function together in a well-coordinated manner.
specific cell receptors
become functionally specialized and give rise to fundamental types of tissues with characteristic structural features.
cells and their associated matrix
formed by an orderly combination of these tissues,
and their precise arrangement allows the functioning of each
organ and of the organism as a whole
Organs
The most common procedure used in histologic research
preparation of tissue slices or “sections”
most common microscope
bright field
The ideal microscopic preparation is preserved so that the
tissue on the slide has the same structural features it had in the
body. However, this is often not feasible because the preparation process can remove ___________, with slight distortions
of cell structure.
cellular lipid
Basic Steps used in tissue preparation for light microscopy (Fix, De, Cle, In, Em, Tri)
Fixation
Dehydration
Clearing
Infiltration
Embedding
Trimming
most critical step in tissue processing
Fixation
aka preservation
Fixation
To preserve tissue structure and prevent degradation by
enzymes released from the cells or microorganisms, pieces of organs are placed as soon as possible after removal from the
body in solutions of stabilizing or cross-linking compounds
called __________
fixatives
fixatives are often
introduced via blood vessels, with vascular perfusion allowing
fixation rapidly throughout the tissues to
improve ________________ in large organs
cell preservation
widely used fixative for light microscopy
Formalin
how does formalin form?
Formaldehyde is dissolved in water forming 37% formaldehyde buffered isotonic solution
fixative used for electron microscopy
formalin and glutaraldehyde
formalin and glutaraldehyde react with _________ groups of proteins preventing their degradation by common proteases
amine (NH2)
also cross-links adjacent proteins, reinforcing cell and
ECM structures.
Glutaraldehyde
provides much greater magnification and resolution of very small cellular structures,
and fixation must be done very carefully to preserve additional “ultrastructural” detail.
electron microscopy
For “ultrastructural” detail, glutaraldehyde-treated tissue is then immersed in
buffered
osmium tetroxide