Tissue fixation is performed to stop autolysis. Which option expresses this purpose?

• A. Stop autolysis
• B. Dehydrate tissue
• C. Remove pigments
• D. Fix microbial contamination

Answer: (A)

Fixation’s main aim is to preserve tissue by stabilizing cellular structures and halting enzymatic activity that would cause autolysis. When tissue is fixed, proteins become cross-linked, locking the architecture in place and stopping self-digestion by endogenous enzymes. That’s why expressing the purpose as stopping autolysis best captures why fixation is done. Dehydration happens later in processing to remove water before embedding, removing pigments relates to clarity or specific staining steps, and fixation isn’t about eliminating microbial contamination as the primary goal (though some fixatives do kill microbes as a side effect).