B-5 fixative ingredients include mercuric chloride, sodium acetate, DI water, and which aldehyde?

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Multiple Choice

B-5 fixative ingredients include mercuric chloride, sodium acetate, DI water, and which aldehyde?

Explanation:
Aldehydes fix tissue by crosslinking proteins, preserving structure for reliable staining. In B-5 fixative, the aldehyde component is formaldehyde, supplied as formalin in water. The mercuric chloride and sodium acetate establish a stable, buffered environment and enhance fixation and staining, while formaldehyde provides rapid protein crosslinking that maintains nuclear and cytoplasmic detail. Other aldehydes like glutaraldehyde or glyoxal are not part of this formulation, and paraformaldehyde is simply polymerized formaldehyde that must be dissolved to work.

Aldehydes fix tissue by crosslinking proteins, preserving structure for reliable staining. In B-5 fixative, the aldehyde component is formaldehyde, supplied as formalin in water. The mercuric chloride and sodium acetate establish a stable, buffered environment and enhance fixation and staining, while formaldehyde provides rapid protein crosslinking that maintains nuclear and cytoplasmic detail. Other aldehydes like glutaraldehyde or glyoxal are not part of this formulation, and paraformaldehyde is simply polymerized formaldehyde that must be dissolved to work.

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