CLEARING / DEALCOHOLIZATION Flashcards
Removal of dehydrating agent from tissues to replaced it with a medium that will dissolve the wax with which the tissues is to be impregnated
DEALCOHOLIZATION/CLEARING
Suited for urgent biopsies (fast acting)
Highly flammable and carcinogenic, can damage BM
leading to Aplastic Anemia
. BENZENE
not a routine clearing agent
*For tough tissues ( skin, fibroid and decalcified tissues); for nervous tissues, lymph nodes and embryos; may be used
for dense tissues like uterus
CHLOROFORM
routine clearing agent; fast acting
With rapid clearing time 30mins-hours
NOT suited for nervous tissues and lymph nodes
It becomes milky when an incompletely dehydrated tissue is immersed in it
xylene
recommended for clearing embryos, insects
and very delicate specimens
ANILINE OIL:
Clearing time: 2-3 days; extremely slow clearing agent
For cytological studies like smooth muscles for skin and for
CNS tissues; may be used for dense tissues like uterus
*MILKY PROLONGED STORAGE
CEDARWOOD OIL
L: tissues tend to become adulterated
CLOVE OIL:
: similar to chloroform but
cheaper
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE:
used to clear eyes specimen; with faint odor and low evaporation rate—can be a good substitute for
cedarwood oil
Terpineol
similar to chloroform but
cheaper
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE
clearing agent obtained from a citrus frui
LIMONENE
substitute for xylene and benzene; not as fast
1-2 hours
Acidifies in a partially filled vessel
TOLUONE
substitute for xylene and benzene; not as fast
1-2 hours
Acidifies in a partially filled vessel
TOLUONE
Clearing agents that can be
used for dense tissues like
uterus
● Clearing agents difficult to
remove from tissues
Cedarwood Oil and
Chloroform
Clearing agents for double
embedding which are slow
acting agents
- Methyl Salicylate
- Methyl Benzoate
- Amyl Acetate
