Formalin fixation preserves tissue morphology primarily through which process?

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Multiple Choice

Formalin fixation preserves tissue morphology primarily through which process?

Explanation:
Formalin fixation preserves tissue morphology by cross-linking proteins. Formaldehyde in the fixative reacts with amino groups on proteins (and to some extent with nucleic acids) to form covalent methylene bridges between adjacent molecules. This creates a stable network that locks cellular structures and the extracellular matrix in place, preventing enzymatic degradation and autolysis during processing and embedding, so the architecture remains intact for microscopic examination. Precipitating fats, oxidation, or evaporation do not produce the same stabilizing network, so they do not explain the preservation of morphology.

Formalin fixation preserves tissue morphology by cross-linking proteins. Formaldehyde in the fixative reacts with amino groups on proteins (and to some extent with nucleic acids) to form covalent methylene bridges between adjacent molecules. This creates a stable network that locks cellular structures and the extracellular matrix in place, preventing enzymatic degradation and autolysis during processing and embedding, so the architecture remains intact for microscopic examination. Precipitating fats, oxidation, or evaporation do not produce the same stabilizing network, so they do not explain the preservation of morphology.

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