What does infiltration in histotechnology involve?

Infiltration in histotechnology specifically refers to the process where molten paraffin wax is introduced into tissue samples. This critical step occurs after the tissue has been properly fixed and dehydrated. The purpose of infiltration is to replace the clearing agent, which is usually xylene, with paraffin wax. This allows for the preservation of the tissue's cellular structure and facilitates easy sectioning for microscopic examination.

Infiltration ensures that the tissue is adequately permeated with wax, providing the necessary support to maintain the integrity of the sample when it is cut into thin sections. This process is pivotal for the preparation of histological slides, as the wax provides a solid medium that enables precise slicing.

The other options, while related to histotechnology, do not accurately describe the process of infiltration. For instance, the introduction of a clearing agent occurs before infiltration, serving to remove alcohol from the tissue. The removal of excess stains from sections pertains to post-staining procedures, and the deposition of embedding materials onto a slide is not an accurate description of infiltration. Hence, the correct answer is clearly focused on the role of paraffin wax in the infiltration stage of tissue processing.