What is the primary purpose of "deparaffinization" in histological techniques?

The primary purpose of deparaffinization in histological techniques is to remove paraffin wax from tissue sections prior to staining. During the preparation of histological samples, tissues are often embedded in paraffin to provide support and preserve the morphology of the sample. However, this embedding medium must be removed before any staining procedures can take place.

Staining requires the tissue sections to be in a water-compatible state, and paraffin is not water-soluble. Deparaffinization typically involves placing the slides in solutions such as xylene or similar solvents that dissolve the paraffin. Once the paraffin is removed, the tissue is then rehydrated gradually through a series of ethanol solutions before it can be stained.

This step is crucial for achieving accurate staining and visualization of cellular structures, allowing for effective diagnosis and research purposes in histology. It ensures that the stains used can penetrate the tissue effectively, thus enhancing the quality of the resulting histological preparations.