Both paraffin and water soluble wax blocks need what before sectioning.

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Multiple Choice

Both paraffin and water soluble wax blocks need what before sectioning.

Explanation:
The main idea is that the block needs to be firm for clean, smooth cutting. Cooling or chilling the embedding medium hardens paraffin and water-soluble wax, producing crisp sections. If the block is warmed, the wax softens, causing sections to smear, tear, or chatter and making ribboning unreliable. Rehydration and staining occur after sectioning, so they aren’t done to prepare the block before cutting. For this reason, chilling is the appropriate pre-sectioning step.

The main idea is that the block needs to be firm for clean, smooth cutting. Cooling or chilling the embedding medium hardens paraffin and water-soluble wax, producing crisp sections. If the block is warmed, the wax softens, causing sections to smear, tear, or chatter and making ribboning unreliable. Rehydration and staining occur after sectioning, so they aren’t done to prepare the block before cutting. For this reason, chilling is the appropriate pre-sectioning step.

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