Tissue will contain ice crystal artifacts when frozen slowly.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not if using liquid nitrogen
• D. Ice crystals appear only with rapid freezing

Answer: (A)

Ice crystal artifacts form when water in tissue freezes. The rate of freezing controls crystal size: slow freezing allows water to migrate and form larger ice crystals that disrupt cellular structure, creating artifacts. Rapid freezing, such as with liquid nitrogen, cools tissue so quickly that crystals are very small or water may vitrify, which minimizes those artifacts. Therefore, the statement is true: tissue will contain ice crystal artifacts when frozen slowly.

Saying it’s false would ignore that slow freezing promotes crystal formation. Claiming artifacts aren’t present with liquid nitrogen oversimplifies, since LN2 speeds freezing and reduces crystals but doesn’t guarantee complete absence in all situations. The idea that ice crystals only appear with rapid freezing is incorrect because slow freezing also produces crystals.