HT Microtomy & Staining 3

Question 1

Which type of knife is most commonly used for routine paraffin sections on a rotary microtome?

Accepted Answer

Disposable low-profile blade

Answer

Disposable low-profile blades are standard for routine rotary microtomy due to consistency and convenience.

Question 2

A Grocott's methenamine silver (GMS) stain is used primarily to demonstrate which organisms?

Accepted Answer

Fungi and Pneumocystis jirovecii

Answer

GMS stain blackens the cell walls of fungi and Pneumocystis jirovecii against a green counterstain background.

Question 3

What is the function of the mordant in hematoxylin staining?

Accepted Answer

To link the dye to tissue components

Answer

A mordant (typically alum) forms a bridge between the hematein dye and tissue components, allowing dye binding.

Question 4

'Wrinkles' or folds in paraffin sections are best corrected by:

Accepted Answer

Floating sections on a warm water bath

Answer

Floating sections on a 40-45°C water bath allows them to spread flat before mounting on a slide.

Question 5

The Ziehl-Neelsen stain differentiates acid-fast organisms from background using which reagent?

Accepted Answer

Acid-alcohol decolorizer

Answer

Acid-alcohol decolorization removes carbol fuchsin from non-acid-fast background while acid-fast organisms retain the stain.

(HT) Histotechnician Certification Practice Test