What Are The Two Types of Tissue Processor?

A tissue processor in histology is a device used in the histology laboratory to process tissues taken from the body for the diagnosis of disease processes. It prepares the tissues to produce microscopic slides that can be viewed under a microscope. The steps involved in tissue processing include fixation, dehydration, clearing, and embedding. These steps are necessary to take human tissue from fixation to the state where it is completely infiltrated with a suitable histological wax and can be embedded, ready for section cutting on a microtome.

1. Fixation: The first step in tissue processing is fixation, where the tissue is preserved in a stable state to halt cellular processes and prevent degradation. Fixatives like formalin are used to preserve the tissue structure and cellular details. The tissue processor ensures that tissues are immersed in fixative for the appropriate duration.

2. Dehydration: After fixation, dehydration prepares the tissue for embedding in a medium like paraffin. This phase involves progressively removing water from the tissue using alcohol solutions (typically 70% to 100% ethanol). Automated tissue processors manage this process to ensure consistent dehydration, preventing over-dehydration, which could damage delicate cellular structures.

3. Clearing: In the clearing step, alcohol is replaced by clearing agents like xylene or toluene, which are necessary for embedding media, such as paraffin, to be compatible with the tissue. The tissue processor regulates the transition, ensuring the tissue is adequately prepared for the final embedding medium.

4. Infiltration: In this final preparatory step, the cleared tissue is impregnated with molten paraffin. This step provides support for the tissue, allowing for thin sectioning without damaging the sample. The tissue processor controls temperature and timing to ensure thorough infiltration with paraffin.

5. Embedding: Although embedding itself is not performed within the tissue processor, it follows the infiltration process. Once the tissue is fully infiltrated with paraffin, it is embedded into paraffin blocks and then sectioned using a microtome for microscopic examination.

These steps are essential to take human tissue from fixation to the state where it is completely infiltrated with suitable histological wax, ready for sectioning and analysis.

Automated tissue processors are of two main types: tissue-transfer machines and fluid-transfer machines.

In tissue-transfer machines, specimens are transferred from container to container to be processed. If you are interested in this type of histology tissue processors, please check out our APS-20T series.

In fluid-transfer machines, specimens are held in a single process chamber or retort, and fluids are pumped in and out as required. Modern fluid-transfer processors often employ raised temperatures, effective fluid circulation, and incorporate vacuum/pressure cycles to enhance processing and reduce processing times.If you are interested in this type of histology tissue processors,please check out our APS-6A&6B series.

Tissue processors are essential in histopathology laboratories, as they automatically prepare tissue samples for laboratory testing by fixing, dehydrating, clearing, and infiltrating them with paraffin. They are particularly useful when dealing with multiple specimens, as they are more convenient and much more efficient than manual processing methods.
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