Which artifact is most associated with over-dehydration in histology processing?

• A. Fold artifacts
• B. Chatter or knife marks from dull blades or improper microtomy
• C. Shrinkage from over-dehydration
• D. Bubbles in mounting medium

Answer: (C)

Over-dehydration pulls water out of tissue beyond what is needed for paraffin infiltration, making the tissue contract and become brittle. This results in shrinkage of the tissue, which is the characteristic artifact associated with excessive dehydration. You may see the overall size reduction and potential subtle distortions of cellular and tissue architecture as the structure pulls away or tightens.

Fold artifacts come from tissue folding during handling or mounting, not from dehydration. Chatter or knife marks reflect issues with microtomy, such as a dull blade, not dehydration. Bubbles in mounting medium arise from air entrapment during coverslipping, not dehydration.