Download New York (NY) Certified Histological Technician Exam and more Exams Technology in PDF only on Docsity!
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Question 1. Which of the following is a primary objective of tissue fixation in histology? A) To enhance tissue autolysis B) To preserve tissue morphology and prevent autolysis C) To dissolve cellular components D) To stain tissue sections directly Answer: B Explanation: The main goal of fixation is to preserve tissue morphology, prevent autolysis and putrefaction, and maintain cellular details for accurate histological examination. Question 2. Which mechanism is primarily involved when formalin cross-links tissue proteins? A) Coagulation B) Additive fixation C) Cross-linking D) Oxidation Answer: C Explanation: Formalin (a formaldehyde solution) works mainly through cross- linking proteins by forming methylene bridges, stabilizing tissue structures.
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Question 3. Which factor significantly influences the rate of fixation? A) Tissue color B) Temperature C) Tissue pH D) Tissue weight only Answer: B Explanation: Temperature affects the rate of fixation; higher temperatures generally increase fixation speed but may cause artifacts if not controlled. Question 4. Improper fixation can cause which of the following artifacts? A) Perfect preservation of tissue architecture B) Autolysis and shrinkage C) Increased staining clarity D) Improved antigen preservation Answer: B Explanation: Improper fixation can lead to autolysis, tissue shrinkage, and other artifacts that compromise tissue integrity and staining quality. Question 5. Formalin used in histology is typically prepared as: A) 10% unbuffered formalin B) 10% neutral buffered formalin (NBF)
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Explanation: Glutaraldehyde is excellent for electron microscopy because it provides rapid, detailed cross-linking of proteins, preserving ultrastructure. Question 8. Alcoholic fixatives such as ethanol are primarily used for: A) Electron microscopy B) Cytopreparation and rapid fixation C) Decalcification D) Lipid preservation for frozen sections Answer: B Explanation: Alcoholic fixatives are coagulating fixatives used mainly for cytology and rapid fixation procedures. Question 9. Acetone as a fixative is especially useful for: A) Lipid preservation in frozen sections B) Fixation of bone tissue C) Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue D) Decalcification Answer: A Explanation: Acetone is a coagulating fixative that preserves lipids well, making it suitable for frozen sections where lipid preservation is critical.
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Question 10. Osmium tetroxide is primarily used for: A) Fixing connective tissue B) Electron microscopy of lipid-rich structures C) Routine paraffin embedding D) Decalcification of bone Answer: B Explanation: Osmium tetroxide stabilizes and stains lipids, making it essential for electron microscopy of lipid membranes. Question 11. Bouin's solution is a compound fixative mainly used for: A) Nerve tissue preservation B) Fixation of delicate tissues requiring excellent nuclear detail C) Lipid preservation D) Bone decalcification Answer: B Explanation: Bouin's solution provides excellent nuclear preservation and is often used for delicate tissues, especially in embryology. Question 12. Which fixative is known to cause tissue shrinkage and is often used in special staining procedures? A) Formalin
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D) Rapid acid decalcification Answer: B Explanation: Chelating agents such as EDTA decalcify more slowly but better preserve tissue antigens, suitable for immunohistochemistry. Question 15. In frozen section fixation, tissue is typically fixed by: A) Formalin immersion for 24 hours B) Rapid freezing without chemical fixation C) Decalcification before freezing D) Paraffin embedding Answer: B Explanation: Frozen sections are prepared by rapid freezing without chemical fixation, allowing quick diagnosis. Question 16. Microwave fixation enhances fixation by: A) Heating tissues uniformly to accelerate fixative penetration B) Freezing tissues rapidly C) Decalcifying tissues D) Removing lipids selectively Answer: A
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Explanation: Microwave fixation uses microwave energy to heat tissues evenly, speeding up fixative penetration and fixation quality. Question 17. Which of the following is a common artifact caused by improper microtomy? A) Chatter marks B) Perfect ribboning C) Clear, thin sections D) No artifacts observed Answer: A Explanation: Chatter marks are repetitive ridges caused by dull blades or improper microtome setup during sectioning. Question 18. Which type of microtome is best suited for preparing frozen sections? A) Rotary microtome B) Sliding microtome C) Cryostat microtome D) Ultramicrotome Answer: C Explanation: Cryostat microtomes are designed for frozen tissue sectioning, allowing rapid preparation for diagnosis.
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B) Potassium dichromate C) Mordants such as ferric chloride or aluminum D) Osmium tetroxide Answer: C Explanation: Mordants like ferric chloride or aluminum chloride bind hematoxylin to nuclear material, intensifying nuclear staining. Question 22. Regressive H&E staining involves: A) Staining nuclei and cytoplasm simultaneously B) Over-staining and then differentiating to achieve optimal contrast C) Staining only cytoplasm D) Using only eosin Answer: B Explanation: Regressive staining involves over-staining tissue and then differentiating excess stain to enhance contrast, especially for nuclear detail. Question 23. Which is a common problem in H&E staining characterized by faded nuclear stain? A) Excessive differentiation B) Inadequate hematoxylin application C) Over-differentiation
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D) Too high pH of water bath Answer: C Explanation: Over-differentiation removes too much hematoxylin from nuclei, resulting in faded nuclear staining. Question 24. Which of the following special stains is used to demonstrate reticular fibers? A) Masson's Trichrome B) Gomori's Silver stain C) Gomori's Reticulin stain D) Verhoeff-Van Gieson Answer: C Explanation: Gomori's Reticulin stain specifically highlights reticular fibers, which are a component of the extracellular matrix. Question 25. Which stain is most appropriate for demonstrating collagen in connective tissue? A) Masson's Trichrome B) Hematoxylin C) Oil Red O D) Ziehl-Neelsen Answer: A
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Question 28. Alcian Blue stain is used to demonstrate: A) Neutral mucins B) Acidic mucins at specific pH levels C) Lipids D) Fungal organisms Answer: B Explanation: Alcian Blue stains acidic mucins, with pH adjustments allowing differentiation of mucosubstances. Question 29. Oil Red O is a lipid stain applicable to: A) Paraffin-embedded tissue sections B) Frozen tissue sections only C) Decalcified bone tissue D) Formalin-fixed tissue Answer: B Explanation: Oil Red O requires frozen sections to preserve lipids, which are dissolved during paraffin processing. Question 30. Prussian Blue stain detects: A) Calcium deposits B) Ferric iron
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C) Lipids D) Fungal elements Answer: B Explanation: Prussian Blue (Perls' stain) detects ferric iron deposits, appearing as blue granules. Question 31. Von Kossa stain is used to demonstrate: A) Iron B) Calcium salts C) Fungi D) Amyloid Answer: B Explanation: Von Kossa detects calcium salts by staining phosphates associated with calcium deposits black. Question 32. Melanin pigment can be demonstrated using: A) Fontana-Masson stain B) Hematoxylin C) Oil Red O D) Prussian Blue Answer: A
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Question 35. The Giemsa stain is commonly employed to detect: A) Fungal hyphae B) Blood parasites and Helicobacter pylori C) Lipids D) Collagen fibers Answer: B Explanation: Giemsa is used for blood smears and detecting blood parasites, as well as H. pylori in gastric biopsies. Question 36. Luxol Fast Blue (LFB) is used to stain: A) Collagen B) Myelin in nerve tissue C) Fungal elements D) Amyloid deposits Answer: B Explanation: LFB stains myelin sheaths in nerve tissue blue, essential for neuropathology studies. Question 37. Warthin-Starry stain is used to demonstrate: A) Fungal organisms B) Spirochetes such as Treponema pallidum
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C) Fibrin D) Lipids Answer: B Explanation: Warthin-Starry is a silver stain used to detect spirochetes, such as those causing syphilis. Question 38. The Congo Red stain is specific for: A) Lipids B) Amyloid deposits C) Fungal hyphae D) Iron Answer: B Explanation: Congo Red binds to amyloid fibrils and exhibits apple-green birefringence under polarized light. Question 39. Immunohistochemistry relies on: A) Enzymatic digestion of tissue B) Specific antigen-antibody reactions C) Silver impregnation D) Staining of lipids Answer: B
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Question 42. Negative controls in IHC are used to: A) Confirm specific staining B) Detect non-specific background staining C) Enhance signal intensity D) Stain non-antigenic tissues Answer: B Explanation: Negative controls omit the primary antibody, helping identify non- specific background staining. Question 43. The principle of in situ hybridization (ISH) involves: A) Detecting specific DNA or RNA sequences within tissue B) Staining lipids C) Visualizing collagen fibers D) Detecting calcium deposits Answer: A Explanation: ISH uses labeled probes to localize specific nucleic acid sequences within tissue sections. Question 44. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is commonly used for: A) Detecting bacteria B) Chromosomal abnormalities and gene amplification
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C) Lipid analysis D) Amyloid detection Answer: B Explanation: FISH uses fluorescently labeled probes to identify genetic anomalies such as translocations, deletions, or amplifications. Question 45. The Papanicolaou stain is primarily used for: A) Blood smears B) Cervical cytology (Pap smears) C) Fungal identification D) Lipid staining Answer: B Explanation: Pap stain is a multichromatic cytological stain used extensively in cervical cancer screening. Question 46. Which of the following is an advantage of rapid tissue processing? A) Longer turnaround time B) Preservation of tissue morphology with quicker results C) Better lipid preservation D) No need for dehydration Answer: B
