Michigan Histotechnician Certification
Exam Practice Questions And Correct
Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationale 2026 Q&A| Instant Download
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1. A histotechnician’s primary responsibility in the laboratory is to:
A. Diagnose patient diseases
B. Perform surgical procedures
C. Prepare and process tissue specimens for microscopic examination
D. Administer medications to patients
Bold-italic rationale: The main role of a histotechnician is to process
and prepare tissues so that pathologists can examine them
microscopically for diagnostic purposes.
2. Which fixative is most commonly used for routine histology specimen
preservation?
A. Glutaraldehyde
B. 10% neutral buffered formalin
C. Alcohol-formalin-acetic acid (AFA)
D. Bouin solution
Bold-italic rationale: 10% neutral buffered formalin is standard
because it preserves cellular morphology and prevents tissue
autolysis.
3. Proper dehydration of tissue specimens is essential because:
A. It enhances tissue staining with hematoxylin only
B. It fixes tissues permanently
C. It removes water to allow infiltration with paraffin wax
D. It renders tissues transparent
, Bold-italic rationale: Dehydration eliminates water to permit paraffin
infiltration, critical for embedding and sectioning.
4. During microtomy, an artifact known as “chatter” is caused by:
A. Too soft paraffin
B. Blade vibration interacting with rigid tissue
C. Over-dehydration
D. Inadequate fixation
Bold-italic rationale: Chatter occurs when the blade vibrates against
hard or rigid tissue, causing repeated patterns of compression.
5. The purpose of clearing in tissue processing is to:
A. Remove fixative
B. Harden tissue
C. Replace alcohol with a medium miscible with paraffin
D. Stain the tissue
Bold-italic rationale: Clearing replaces alcohol and makes the tissue
receptive to paraffin infiltration.
6. Which of the following microtome knives is preferred for routine
paraffin sections?
A. Diamond knife
B. Glass knife
C. Stainless steel knife
D. Ceramic knife
Bold-italic rationale: Stainless steel knives are standard in routine
paraffin microtomy due to durability and cost-effectiveness.
7. Hematoxylin primarily stains:
A. Cytoplasmic proteins
B. Nucleic acids (nuclei)
C. Lipids
D. Collagen fibers
Bold-italic rationale: Hematoxylin has an affinity for acidic nuclear
components, staining them blue-purple.
8. Eosin is classified as a:
A. Basic dye
B. Metallic stain
C. Acidic dye
, D. Fluorescent dye
Bold-italic rationale: Eosin is an acidic dye and binds positively
charged cytoplasmic elements.
9. What is the main reason for embedding tissue in paraffin?
A. To make it translucent
B. To improve staining intensity
C. To provide support for thin sectioning
D. To remove fats
Bold-italic rationale: Paraffin provides a firm medium that supports
tissue so thin sections can be cut.
10. To prevent cross-contamination of specimens, histotechnicians
should:
A. Reuse cassettes from previous patients
B. Change gloves and clean work surfaces between specimens
C. Place multiple tissues in one cassette
D. Mix reagents in bulk for all specimens
Bold-italic rationale: Changing gloves and cleaning surfaces prevents
cross-contamination, ensuring specimen integrity.
11. Frozen sectioning is primarily used when:
A. Permanent sections are adequate
B. Routine staining is unnecessary
C. Rapid intraoperative diagnosis is needed
D. Specimens are heavily calcified
Bold-italic rationale: Frozen sections allow quick microscopic
evaluation during surgery.
12. A common fixative for electron microscopy is:
A. Formalin
B. Glutaraldehyde
C. Alcohol
D. Acetone
Bold-italic rationale: Glutaraldehyde preserves ultrastructure well,
making it ideal for electron microscopy.
13. What does the abbreviation “H&E” represent?
A. Histology and Electrophoresis
B. Hemoglobin and Eosin
Exam Practice Questions And Correct
Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationale 2026 Q&A| Instant Download
1. A histotechnician’s primary responsibility in the laboratory is to:
A. Diagnose patient diseases
B. Perform surgical procedures
C. Prepare and process tissue specimens for microscopic examination
D. Administer medications to patients
Bold-italic rationale: The main role of a histotechnician is to process
and prepare tissues so that pathologists can examine them
microscopically for diagnostic purposes.
2. Which fixative is most commonly used for routine histology specimen
preservation?
A. Glutaraldehyde
B. 10% neutral buffered formalin
C. Alcohol-formalin-acetic acid (AFA)
D. Bouin solution
Bold-italic rationale: 10% neutral buffered formalin is standard
because it preserves cellular morphology and prevents tissue
autolysis.
3. Proper dehydration of tissue specimens is essential because:
A. It enhances tissue staining with hematoxylin only
B. It fixes tissues permanently
C. It removes water to allow infiltration with paraffin wax
D. It renders tissues transparent
, Bold-italic rationale: Dehydration eliminates water to permit paraffin
infiltration, critical for embedding and sectioning.
4. During microtomy, an artifact known as “chatter” is caused by:
A. Too soft paraffin
B. Blade vibration interacting with rigid tissue
C. Over-dehydration
D. Inadequate fixation
Bold-italic rationale: Chatter occurs when the blade vibrates against
hard or rigid tissue, causing repeated patterns of compression.
5. The purpose of clearing in tissue processing is to:
A. Remove fixative
B. Harden tissue
C. Replace alcohol with a medium miscible with paraffin
D. Stain the tissue
Bold-italic rationale: Clearing replaces alcohol and makes the tissue
receptive to paraffin infiltration.
6. Which of the following microtome knives is preferred for routine
paraffin sections?
A. Diamond knife
B. Glass knife
C. Stainless steel knife
D. Ceramic knife
Bold-italic rationale: Stainless steel knives are standard in routine
paraffin microtomy due to durability and cost-effectiveness.
7. Hematoxylin primarily stains:
A. Cytoplasmic proteins
B. Nucleic acids (nuclei)
C. Lipids
D. Collagen fibers
Bold-italic rationale: Hematoxylin has an affinity for acidic nuclear
components, staining them blue-purple.
8. Eosin is classified as a:
A. Basic dye
B. Metallic stain
C. Acidic dye
, D. Fluorescent dye
Bold-italic rationale: Eosin is an acidic dye and binds positively
charged cytoplasmic elements.
9. What is the main reason for embedding tissue in paraffin?
A. To make it translucent
B. To improve staining intensity
C. To provide support for thin sectioning
D. To remove fats
Bold-italic rationale: Paraffin provides a firm medium that supports
tissue so thin sections can be cut.
10. To prevent cross-contamination of specimens, histotechnicians
should:
A. Reuse cassettes from previous patients
B. Change gloves and clean work surfaces between specimens
C. Place multiple tissues in one cassette
D. Mix reagents in bulk for all specimens
Bold-italic rationale: Changing gloves and cleaning surfaces prevents
cross-contamination, ensuring specimen integrity.
11. Frozen sectioning is primarily used when:
A. Permanent sections are adequate
B. Routine staining is unnecessary
C. Rapid intraoperative diagnosis is needed
D. Specimens are heavily calcified
Bold-italic rationale: Frozen sections allow quick microscopic
evaluation during surgery.
12. A common fixative for electron microscopy is:
A. Formalin
B. Glutaraldehyde
C. Alcohol
D. Acetone
Bold-italic rationale: Glutaraldehyde preserves ultrastructure well,
making it ideal for electron microscopy.
13. What does the abbreviation “H&E” represent?
A. Histology and Electrophoresis
B. Hemoglobin and Eosin
