Celloidin

/sɛˈlɔɪdɪn/ noun

Definition

A form of cellulose nitrate used in microscopy to embed and preserve tissue samples for cutting and staining.

Etymology

From celloid + -in (chemical suffix). Developed in the late 1800s as scientists sought better ways to prepare biological specimens for examination under the microscope.

Kelly Says

Celloidin was the secret ingredient that let pathologists discover diseases—it preserved tissue perfectly so doctors could see cancer cells and bacteria in detail, making it invisible but essential to modern medicine.

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