What is one possible cause of frozen tissue crumbling when cut?

Frozen tissue crumbling when cut is often due to inadequate freezing. For proper histological evaluation, tissues must be frozen rapidly and effectively to preserve cellular integrity and maintain structural details. Inadequate freezing can lead to the formation of large ice crystals within the tissue, which can disrupt cellular architecture. This disruption results in the tissue losing its cohesion and becoming crumbly, making it difficult to obtain uniform sections for microscopic examination.

Additionally, when tissues are not frozen sufficiently, they remain softer and may not hold together as well during the cutting process, further contributing to the crumbling effect. This contrasts with the other causes; for instance, improper staining or incorrect cutting angles, while potentially affecting outcomes, do not directly lead to the physical property of crumbling.