INTRODUCTION

Histology and immunohistochemistry (IHC) are commonly used to visualize the cellular and biochemical constituents of tissues. Whether the attributes to be probed are detected based on chemical reactivities (histochemistry) or are detected using antibodies (IHC) or lectins with known specificities, the preparation of the specimen for staining is a critical phase of the analysis. Preparation typically involves (1) tissue fixation, (2) mounting the tissue in an embedding medium to permit sectioning that is sufficiently thin for the tissue to be viewed microscopically, and then (3) removal of any embedding medium before histochemical or IHC evaluation.