Why is glutaraldehyde the preferred fixative for specimens in electron microscopy?
A)Glutaraldehyde is much easier to obtain than formaldehyde.
B)It excels at preserving the detailed structures of the cells and tissues
C)Tissues fixed with glutaraldehyde stain well with dyes.
D)Glutaraldehyde does not change the solubility of the fixed tissue.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

It excels at preserving the detailed structures of the cells and tissues
The reason why glutaraldehyde is the preferred fixative for use in specimens in electron microscopy is that is very good at forming crosslinks between molecules. With this ability, glutaraldehyde is able to preserve the detailed structures of cells and fixed tissues excellently. All the other statements are inaccurate and do not explain why it is the choice for electron microscopy specimens.

Why Is Glutaraldehyde the Preferred Fixative for Specimens in Electron