OSMT (Ontario Society of Medical Technologists) Practice Exam

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What will haematoxylin ripen into?

Haematurg
Haematein
Haematone
Cyanmethemoglobin

The correct answer is: Haematein

Haematoxylin is a natural dye derived from the logwood tree and is commonly used in histology to stain cell nuclei. The term "ripen" in this context refers to the process by which haematoxylin undergoes a chemical transformation into haematein, typically through oxidation. This transformation is crucial because haematein is the active form of the dye that interacts with cellular components, allowing for effective staining. Haematein binds to bases in nucleic acids and shows a stronger affinity for DNA and RNA, making it valuable for visualizing cellular structures under the microscope. This property is particularly important in histological examinations, where viewing the detail of cell nuclei can provide significant diagnostic information. The other terms listed, while they might sound similar, do not pertain to the process of haematoxylin ripening. Haematurg and haematone do not represent well-known compounds in the context of staining or histology. Cyanmethemoglobin, which is used in blood gas analysis, is unrelated to haematoxylin or its transformations.