What can happen to tissue if dehydration is performed too quickly?

Dehydrating tissue too quickly can lead to artifact formation and poor tissue quality because the rapid removal of water can cause structural changes within the cells and extracellular matrix. When dehydration occurs too swiftly, the tissue may not have sufficient time to stabilize, which can result in the formation of artifacts such as shrinkage or distortion of cells. These artifacts can interfere with the microscopic evaluation, leading to misinterpretation of the tissue characteristics. Proper dehydration protocols ensure that the tissue specimens retain their morphology and cellular integrity, which is crucial for accurate diagnostic evaluation.