Question 1

Which of the following fixatives do not belong to the group of oxidizing agents?

Accepted Answer

A)  Potassium dichromate
B)  Mercuric chloride
C)  Chromic acid
D)  Osmium tetroxide B

Question 2

All of the following choices below are the disadvantages of the formalin fixative, except:

Accepted Answer

A)  Dermatitis on prolonged contact.
B)  It may produce considerable shrinkage of the tissue.
C)  Prolonged fixation may produce bleaching of the specimen and loss of natural tissue colors.
D)  It evaporates quickly. D

Question 3

Which of the following statements is true about heat fixation?

Accepted Answer

A)  It preserves overall morphology and preserves the internal structures
B)  It does not preserve overall morphology, but it preserves internal structures
C)  It does not preserve both overall morphology and the internal structures
D)  It preserves overall morphology, but it does not preserve the internal structures D

Question 4

Which of the following statements is true about temperature being a factor in fixation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Fixation is usually done at room temperature
B)  As temperature increases, the speed of fixation decreases
C)  "Cooking" the specimen is accepted in fixation.
D)  As the temperature increases, the fixation speed remains the same.

Question 5

This is a very basic fixative made up of 40% saturated formaldehyde attenuated to 10% with 10% NaCl. What is this type of fixative?

Accepted Answer

A)  Gendre's fixative
B)  Formal-Sublimate
C)  Glutaraldehyde
D)  10% formol-Saline

Question 6

This type of fixation is usually done using thermal coagulation, which is suitable for frozen tissue sections and for the preparation of bacteriological smears?

Accepted Answer

A)  Absolute alcohol fixation
B)  Metallic fixation
C)  Heat fixation
D)  Acid fixation

Question 7

Which of the following properties of microwave fixation makes it unsuitable for use in large specimens?

Accepted Answer

A)  Microwaves can damage fine tissue structures
B)  Microwave fixation is ideally used for 10-12mm tissue blocks
C)  Using microwaves increases the rate of autolysis
D)  Microwave fixation inadequately heats the core of a large specimen without it significantly overheating the exterior portion

Question 8

Which of the following is the advantage of glutaraldehyde over formaldehyde as a fixative?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is cheap and readily available.
B)  It produces less tissue shrinkage.
C)  It is compatible with many stains.
D)  All of the above.

Question 9

This fixative is made up of chromic and osmic acid, suggested for cytoplasmic structures particularly the mitochondria. Which of the following choices below best describes the statement above?

Accepted Answer

A)  Flemming's solution
B)  Trichloroacetic acid
C)  Bouin's Solution
D)  Muller's Fluid

Question 10

The following are the factors that would affect the process of fixation, except:

Accepted Answer

A)  Volume of the fixative used
B)  Size of the specimen
C)  Pressure on the specimen
D)  Temperature

Question 11

This is also the fixative of choice for the preservation of brain tissue for the diagnosis of rabies. Which among the choices below is described by the statement above?

Accepted Answer

A)  Heat fixation
B)  Alcohol
C)  10% formol-saline
D)  Acetone

Question 12

Which of the following is not a purpose of fixation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Acts to disable proteolytic enzymes that digest or damage the sample
B)  Protects the sample from extrinsic damage
C)  Prevents autolysis or putrefaction
D)  Decreases the mechanical strength or stability of cells and tissues

Question 13

This is type of fixative is usually incorporated with other fixatives to form a compound solution. This hardens at 17 degree Celsius. What type of fixative is this?

Accepted Answer

A)  Alcohol
B)  Glacial acetic acid
C)  Carnoy's Fluid
D)  Muller's Solution

Question 14

What is the preferred duration of fixation when using buffered formalin?

Accepted Answer

A)  1 to 2 hours
B)  2 to 6 hours
C)  48 hours
D)  72 hours

Question 15

Which statement best describes the rule of thumb for immersing a specimen in a fixative?

Accepted Answer

A)  The volume of the fixative must be 5 times greater than the volume of the specimen
B)  The volume of the fixative must be equal to the volume of the specimen
C)  The volume of the fixative must be 20 times the volume of the specimen
D)  The volume of the fixative should be slightly more than the volume of the specimen

Question 16

Among the statements about antigen preservation, which among the following is not correct?

Accepted Answer

A)  All reactions with formaldehyde-fixed specimens can be reversed.
B)  The quality of antigen preservation varies with respect to the type of fixative used.
C)  The ability to preserve antigens is important when choosing a fixative to use.
D)  Some fixation reactions are reversible in aldehyde-fixed specimens.

Question 17

This is the fixative that is considered to be the most rapid fixative.

Accepted Answer

A)  Newcomer's fluid
B)  Flemming's solution
C)  Carnoy's Fluid
D)  Formalin

Question 18

What is the ideal concentration of ethyl alcohol used when fixing blood, tissue films and smears?

Accepted Answer

A)  70% ethyl alcohol
B)  75% ethyl alcohol
C)  85% ethyl alcohol
D)  95% ethyl alcohol

Question 19

What type of fixative gives the best result in fixation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Slightly hypertonic fixative
B)  Hypertonic fixative
C)  Hypotonic fixative
D)  Isotonic fixative

Question 20

Aside from considering the adequate size of the tissue sample, the histotechnician must also take note of the sample's thickness. Which among the following is the ideal thickness of the tissue sample to attain quality fixation?

Accepted Answer

A)  1 mm
B)  2 mm
C)  3 mm
D)  4 mm

Exam 1: Fixation