Which step follows dehydration in the standard tissue processing sequence?

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Multiple Choice

Which step follows dehydration in the standard tissue processing sequence?

Explanation:
After dehydration, the tissue is saturated with alcohol, which is not compatible with embedding paraffin. The clearing step uses a solvent that is miscible with both alcohol and paraffin (such as xylene), removing the alcohol and replacing it with a medium that can carry paraffin into the tissue. This prepares the tissue for infiltration with molten paraffin, enabling proper embedding. Without clearing, paraffin cannot penetrate effectively because residual alcohol blocks wax infiltration.

After dehydration, the tissue is saturated with alcohol, which is not compatible with embedding paraffin. The clearing step uses a solvent that is miscible with both alcohol and paraffin (such as xylene), removing the alcohol and replacing it with a medium that can carry paraffin into the tissue. This prepares the tissue for infiltration with molten paraffin, enabling proper embedding. Without clearing, paraffin cannot penetrate effectively because residual alcohol blocks wax infiltration.

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