Knowledge Base › Troubleshooting Atlas › Tissue processing
Over-dehydration
Also known as: over-hardened tissue
What it looks like
Tissue is hard, brittle and chalky; sections shatter and structures look shrunken.
Where it usually appears: Long alcohol/clearant times, especially for small biopsies on a general schedule.
Likely causes
- Excessive dwell time in absolute alcohols and clearant
- High processing temperature
- Small specimens run on a schedule meant for larger blocks
Immediate checks
- Soak the block face on ice-water before cutting
- Shorten the schedule for small biopsies
Corrective action
- Introduce a dedicated short biopsy schedule
- Review station times and temperatures
Preventive action
- Separate biopsy and routine schedules
- Validate schedule times against tissue types
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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