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Fixation is a vital process in histology that involves the preservation of tissue structure and composition by stabilizing proteins and cellular components. During this step, tissues are typically immersed in fixatives, such as formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde, which cross-link proteins and prevent autolysis and decomposition. This ensures that the tissue retains its morphological and biochemical characteristics for accurate analysis under a microscope.

The fixation process is essential as it stops the biological processes that would otherwise lead to tissue degradation. It helps maintain the integrity of cellular structures, allowing for reliable identification and examination of pathological conditions. Additionally, effective fixation enhances the quality of subsequent steps, such as embedding and staining, by ensuring that cellular details are preserved for accurate observation.

Understanding fixation is crucial for anyone working in histology, as it lays the foundation for the entire tissue processing workflow. The other processes mentioned, while important in their contexts, primarily focus on specific stages of tissue preparation and do not contribute to the initial preservation of tissue integrity in the same fundamental way that fixation does.