The human body is composed of cells and since life is an amazing association of biochemical reactions, the ways to identify the various body processes related to cellular structure is narrowed down to one useful device — microscope. Hence, histological physicians use microscope to observe the cells and tissue functions related to certain diseases. In this way, they would be able to analyze and derive solutions regarding certain diseases.

The Link that Binds

Microscope, made from zinc alloys, steel, and glass, was first seen between 1590 and 1608, where Hans Lippershey, Hans Janssen, and his son Zacharias Janssen had contributed to what is now considered as one of the greatest invention of mankind that contributed to the discovery of cell.

Since then, scientists have developed various types of microscopes, from the simple compound microscope to the most sophisticated digital microscope. With complete and reliable information that microscope provide in analyzing specimens, such fields as pathology, molecular biology, bacteriology, and histology could not survive without the microscope.

Without microscopes, histological physicians would have a hard time analyzing and understanding the functions of dead, which can be either preserved or fixed, and living tissues. Combined with the science of pathology, or the study of various diseases and their corresponding processes, histology can provide useful information regarding the conditions of the diseased cells and associate them to certain diseases. In this way, proper diagnosis and evaluations can be made regarding the disease.

During histological examinations, anatomical pathologists or histological physicians use a powerful microscope to recognize the origins and effects of certain diseases in a particular portion of the body. This is done by studying or placing tissue samples under observation using a microscope that is specially designed to determine and classify structural transformation and other modifications in tissues and cells of the body.

Collection and Preparation

Histological observation of cells and tissues starts with necropsy for animal tissues, autopsy, biopsy, and surgery. The focus of the study is to analyze the association of tissues with certain conditions related to various diseases such as infection.

The histopathological process goes on as tissues pass through various technical procedures. The first procedure is fixation. This technical process will biochemically and mechanically stabilize the tissues using a fixative such as neutral buffered formalin, which is 10% formaldehyde in Phosphate buffered saline. This will prevent the tissues from decay.

The tissues are then dipped in a several baths of increasingly more condensed ethanol to dry out the tissue, and followed by xylene or toluene (clearing agents). Final additive to be used will be the hot liquid paraffin wax. This is the second stage of histopathological process known as processing. The process will usually take place 12 to 16 hours and by this time the paraffin will take the place of water.

The next step is the embedding, where the supple, wet tissues are changed to hard paraffin block. These tissues are placed in a mold with embedded molten wax.  This process will allow the “sectioning” (the third stage) of the tissues into very fine segments, usually 5 to 7 micrometer, using a “microtome,” a mechanical device used for cutting specimens for microscopic observations.

These thin slices of tissues are then placed on a slide for staining (fourth stage). Routine staining is used to provide contrast to the tissue under observation. Without staining, it will be hard to identify the variations in cell morphology.

With this, one slice of 5 to 7 micrometer tissue sheet will be nearly transparent with few, very small observable details. When placed in a microscope for observation, the tissues must be stained with eosin and hematoxylin, two of the most commonly used pigments in histopathology and histology.

When using special staining, other compounds will be used to stain tissue slices, such as congo red, safranin, silver salts, fast green FCF, and various artificial and natural dyes.

Staining has greatly enhanced the capacity to classify various categories of cells being observed in a histological physician microscope.  In order to detect RNA or DNA molecules, some advanced techniques are employed such as confocal microscopy and in-situ hybridization.

Moreover, with the advancement in technology, digital cameras are now being utilized to provide a cleared view of the histological specimens under observation.

Summary

With the application of histological studies and the utilization of histological physician microscope, extracting useful information is possible and can be done at any given time provided that the required components are available.

Hence, one can simply say that acquisition of histological physician microscope can render laboratory services 24 hours a day in a week without having to seek hospital services.