Tutorials

Mucins are a part of a complex group called carbohydrates. Mucins are mucopolysaccharides; they are important in cell growth as they help regulate the flow of nutrients between capillaries and cells and are known as “The Glue of Life”.

Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disease characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles which controls movement. The muscles of the heart and some other involuntary muscles are also affected in some forms of muscular dystrophy.

Users of microtomes often ask if they can use just one microtome across all functions in the laboratory. This article addresses the advantages and limitations of Vibrating Blade microtomes.  

A discussion on the techniques used for removing mineral from bone, or other calcified tissue, so that high-quality paraffin sections can be prepared.

In this fourth part of the Fixation and Fixatives series, we look at some of the many popular and traditional fixative solutions that have been used in histology for the last 100 years. This part has an overview of proprietary solutions and...

In this final part of the Fixation and Fixatives series, we look at practical ways to optimize fixation quality, discuss how heat effects fixation, and finish with an introduction to the relatively new field of microwave fixation.

Routine (or H&E) and special stains allow us to visualize otherwise transparent tissue under a microscope and are critical for tissue-based diagnosis.

This article is a review of the current understanding of the chemistry of aluminum-based hematoxylin stains.

This article describes a system for embedding of tissues for the preparation of frozen sections. The system is easy to learn and offers many advantages over conventional methods, including speed, high precision and predictability, and reduced tissue wastage.

The value or power of IHC frequently is compromised by tissue fixation and processing.