What is used as the clearing agent?

Study for the CAMLPR Histology Practice Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Clearing follows dehydration and prepares the tissue for embedding by replacing the dehydration solvent with something that can mix with paraffin. The clearing agent must dissolve residual alcohol and be miscible with molten paraffin, so paraffin can infiltrate the tissue. Xylene fits this role best because it removes remaining alcohol and blends with paraffin, while also making the tissue transparent for embedding. Ethanol is used to dehydrate, water would rehydrate, and paraffin is the embedding medium, not the clearing agent. Therefore, xylene is used as the clearing agent.