Paraffin Block Preparation
Paraffin Block Preparation - Related Videos
03:08
Embedding Adult Drosophila Heads in Paraffin: Preparing Tissue for Histology
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2023
This video describes how to embed Drosophila heads in paraffin using the collar method, a technique that prepares fly heads for serial sectioning. Paraffin sections are used for histological examinations of the brain's anatomy and for the assessment of neurodegeneration. The featured protocol demonstrates how multiple flies can be processed in one preparation, thereby increasing time-efficiency and minimizing experimental artifacts.
08:20
Cell Block Preparation from Cytology Specimen with Predominance of Individually Scattered Cells
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Cited by 67 •
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Shidham's method for preparation of cell blocks with AV-marker from cytology specimens containing individually scattered cells and small cell groups.
08:30
Preparation of Formalin-fixed Paraffin-embedded Tissue Cores for both RNA and DNA Extraction
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Cited by 53 •
2016
This modified extraction protocol improves RNA and DNA yields from more precisely targeted regions of interest in histopathologic tissue blocks.
09:20
Proteomic Sample Preparation from Formalin Fixed and Paraffin Embedded Tissue
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Cited by 50 •
2013
Archival formalin fixed and paraffin embedded (FFPE) clinical samples are valuable material for investigation of diseases. Here we demonstrate a sample preparation workflow allowing in-depth proteomic analysis of microdissected FFPE tissue.
02:42
Preparation of Cancer Spheroid Blocks by Flash Freezing: A Procedure To Preserve Cancer Spheroids in Frozen Matrix Blocks
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2023
This video demonstrates the preparation of cancer spheroid blocks by flash freezing, a technique in which a tissue sample of interest is frozen to an ultracold temperature, restraining the spheroids inside the matrix.
FAQs
Each stage changes the tissue so it can undergo the next one. Fixation limits degradation, dehydration removes water, clearing replaces the dehydrating agent, and molten paraffin then enters the prepared specimen. Preserving this sequence allows the wax to harden around the tissue effectively, producing a stable support that can withstand thin-section preparation.
After infiltration, molten paraffin surrounds the specimen and solidifies as it cools. The hardened wax provides external support for the biological material, helping maintain its structure while a microtome produces thin sections. This support is important because preserved tissue can then be examined microscopically for cellular organization, morphology, and disease-related changes.
Clearing replaces the dehydrating agent after water has been removed from the tissue. This transition prepares the specimen for infiltration with molten paraffin, allowing the wax to enter and surround it before cooling. Without this intermediate stage, the sequence would not provide the intended pathway from dehydrated tissue to a wax-supported block.
The workflow begins with fixation to limit tissue degradation, followed by dehydration to remove water. Clearing then replaces the dehydrating agent, and infiltration introduces molten paraffin into the specimen. Once the wax cools and hardens, the resulting block can be sectioned with a microtome and the sections can be stained for microscopic examination.
Thin sections produced from a paraffin block can be stained and examined under a microscope. This enables researchers to assess cellular organization, tissue morphology, and changes associated with disease. The block therefore serves as an intermediate between tissue preservation and visual analysis, rather than being the final observation material itself.
The technique supports several biological uses, including routine pathology, research, teaching, and long-term sample archiving. Its value comes from combining tissue preservation with a format that can be sectioned and stained later. Archived blocks can consequently support repeated or future examination of cellular structure and morphology when needed.