Knowledge Base › Troubleshooting Atlas › Frozen section
Fatty tissue will not freeze-section
Fatty tissue appears as a gelatinous or oily substance on the slide, often leading to poor sectioning quality. It may also show signs of incomplete freezing, such as distortion or loss of structure.
Where it usually appears: Typically seen in adipose tissue samples or specimens with high lipid content.
- Insufficient freezing temperature in the cryostat
- Improper sample preparation or embedding
- Prolonged exposure to room temperature prior to freezing
- Inadequate sectioning technique
- Check the cryostat temperature setting
- Inspect the sample for adequate embedding
- Ensure the sample was not left at room temperature too long
- Lower the cryostat temperature to -20°C or colder
- Use a more rapid freezing technique, such as isopentane or liquid nitrogen
- Re-embed the sample with appropriate medium
- Always pre-chill the cryostat before use
- Minimize handling time of fatty samples
- Use optimal embedding techniques for fatty tissues
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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