Paraffin Embedding
Paraffin Embedding - Related Videos
07:28
Paraffin-Embedded and Frozen Sections of Drosophila Adult Muscles
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Cited by 42 •
2010
Identification of mechanisms underlying muscle damage is crucial. Here we present the histological technique for preparing paraffin-embedded and frozen sections of Drosophila thoracic muscles. This allows analysis of muscle morphology and localization of protein and other muscle cell components.
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.
13:32
DNA Extraction from Paraffin Embedded Material for Genetic and Epigenetic Analyses
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Cited by 131 •
2011
This video demonstrates the protocol for DNA extraction from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded material. This is a multi-day procedure in which tissue sections are deparaffinized with xylene, rehydrated with ethanol and treated with proteinase K to purify and isolate DNA for subsequent gene-specific or genome-wide analysis.
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.
04:17
Formalin-Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE) Tissue Preservation: A Method for Studying Tissue Morphology
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2023
The following video describes how to preserve morphology of a tissue with formalin fixation and paraffin embedding.
FAQs
Each stage changes the tissue’s condition for the next step. Fixation comes first, dehydration follows through graded alcohols, and clearing prepares the fixed, dehydrated tissue before molten paraffin permeates it. This ordered sequence allows wax to enter the specimen and, after cooling, produce a stable support for subsequent sectioning and microscopic examination.
Compatibility matters because the clearing step sits between alcohol dehydration and paraffin permeation. Using a solvent compatible with the embedding medium helps maintain the intended progression from a dehydrated specimen to one that can be permeated by molten wax. This intermediate stage is therefore central to forming a coherent block suitable for later microscopic work.
Cooling changes the infiltrated tissue and molten wax into a solid block. That solid matrix provides the mechanical support needed for a microtome to produce thin sections, rather than leaving the specimen in a fluid embedding medium. The resulting sections can be transferred to slides, where staining reveals cellular and tissue structures.
After sectioning, the workflow moves from block preparation to slide-based analysis. Thin sections are mounted on slides and stained, allowing cellular and tissue structures to become visible under microscopic examination. Different complementary staining and analysis methods can also support examination of morphology, disease-related changes, developmental patterns, and molecular markers.
The workflow requires fixed tissue, graded alcohols for dehydration, a compatible clearing solvent, molten paraffin, and a cooling step. A microtome cuts the solidified block into thin sections, while slides hold those sections for staining and microscopy. Together, these components connect specimen preparation with visual analysis.
It is useful when investigators need consistent microscopic examination of preserved tissue architecture. In biology, pathology, and biomedical research, the resulting sections support analysis of normal morphology, disease-related changes, developmental patterns, and molecular markers. Because sections can undergo complementary staining and analysis methods, the approach supports both structural examination and marker-focused investigation.