ABSTRACT
From the perspective of an anatomical pathologist it is surprising how little is known, either by the layperson or even the rest of the health profession, about the laboratory investigation of human tissue. Tissues arriving at a laboratory specialising in diagnostic anatomical pathology receive considerable care and attention. The solution into which tissue samples are placed usually includes formaldehyde. Sometimes tissues are teased out onto a suitable flat surface, such as a cover slip, before being placed into the fixation fluid. This applies to biopsies of the delicate lining of the intestine which would otherwise curl up into distorted shapes, making subsequent interpretation difficult or impossible. The cut-up room is where the specimens are examined, described and dissected by the anatomical pathologist. The description covers the type of specimen including measurements of normal anatomical structures.
