Knowledge Base › Troubleshooting Atlas › Microtomy
Fatty tissue difficult to cut
Also known as: adipose won't section, greasy sections
What it looks like
Fatty/adipose tissue smears, falls apart, or won't hold a ribbon; frozen fat cuts poorly at normal temperature.
Where it usually appears: Breast, omentum, lipoma; inadequately processed or too-warm fat.
Likely causes
- Incomplete processing of fatty tissue (needs longer clearing)
- Block too warm
- For frozen: temperature not cold enough for fat
Immediate checks
- Chill the block well (fat needs to be colder)
- For cryostat, lower the temperature for fatty tissue
- Confirm the processing schedule suited fatty tissue
Corrective action
- Reprocess fatty tissue on a longer schedule
- Cool the block thoroughly before cutting
Preventive action
- Use extended clearing for fatty specimens
- Gross fat thinner
- Keep dedicated cold handling for adipose
This atlas is for educational purposes for laboratory professionals. It does not replace your institutional SOPs, manufacturer instructions, validated protocols or pathologist judgment. Adapt any action to your laboratory and equipment.
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