Comparing Beeswax, Animal Fat (Tallow) and Paraffin Wax in Impregnation and Embedding of Tissue Samples in Histopathology laboratory

Abstract

This is a comparative study, carried out in Sudan University of Science and Technology during the period from November 2008 to April 2009.The study aimed to compare between paraffin wax that is used as routine embedding media, beeswax and animal fat (tallow) in impregnation and embedding of tissues. Thirty biopsies were obtained from a laboratory animal (rabbit). 10 biopsies were impregnated and embedded in paraffin wax, 10 biopsies were impregnated and embedded in beeswax and the remaining 10 biopsies were impregnated and embedded in animal fat (tallow). After manual processing all sections were stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin (H and E) to compare the effect of beeswax, paraffin and tallow on the features of nuclear chromatin patterns, cytoplasmic details and the background staining. Four different histochemical stains (periodic acid Schiff’s (PAS), Alcian blue and Perl’s Prussian blue and silver impregnation were performed targeting to certain type of tissues. The study findings proved that both beeswax and tallow used in this study showed well impregnation and embedding of the tissues. The two waxes tested here showed well preservation of the nuclear details, good cytoplasmic appearance, good tissue architecture and no bad effect on staining characteristics of the tissue. In addition, beeswax reduced the time needed for wax cooling. We concluded that both beeswax and tallow were work well in preparation of tissue specimen as same as paraffin. Thus, we recommended using beeswax and tallow in our laboratories as national available waxes.