What is the water bath temperature set at?

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Multiple Choice

What is the water bath temperature set at?

When you float paraffin-embedded tissue sections to flatten them, the water bath is set warm but below the paraffin’s melting point. The typical setting is about 46°C, which is roughly 8–10°C below the melting point of standard paraffin. This temperature relaxes and smooths the tissue so the sections spread evenly and adhere well to slides, without the wax softening or melting. If the bath is cooler, sections won’t flatten properly; if it’s too hot, the wax can soften too much and distort the tissue. That’s why around 46°C is used.

When you float paraffin-embedded tissue sections to flatten them, the water bath is set warm but below the paraffin’s melting point. The typical setting is about 46°C, which is roughly 8–10°C below the melting point of standard paraffin. This temperature relaxes and smooths the tissue so the sections spread evenly and adhere well to slides, without the wax softening or melting. If the bath is cooler, sections won’t flatten properly; if it’s too hot, the wax can soften too much and distort the tissue. That’s why around 46°C is used.

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