Holes observed in paraffin-embedded liver sections on the water bath that decrease with ribboning are most likely caused by which?

• A. Facing the block too aggressively
• B. Using a dull blade
• C. Inadequate dehydration
• D. Overstaining

Answer: (A)

Holes in sections that appear on the water bath are usually due to tissue fragments breaking away during cutting. When the block face is faced too aggressively, you remove more tissue than needed and create tiny chips on the surface. These chips can detach as you slice and float on the water bath, leaving holes in the section as it floats and is placed onto slides. Ribboning multiple sections onto one slide often masks these defects because overlapping sections fill in or cover over the gaps, making the holes less noticeable.

In contrast, a dull blade tends to produce ragged edges and knife chatter rather than discrete holes. Inadequate dehydration or overstaining affect staining quality and tissue morphology, not the physical integrity of the sections floating on the bath.