Microscopy can be used for the examination of all tissues and cells of living organisms.

The various steps at which BIODOXIS can be of help are :

The sampling of tissues and cells can be done using surgery, guided biopsy or after euthanasia.
The sampled tissues and/or cells are then frozen or fixed as needed.

The appropriate freezing techniques (liquid nitrogen, isopentane, deep-freezing to -80°...) or fixative methods (formalin, alcohol, Bouin's fluid...) are chosen according to the objectives of the study.
The fixed tissues are usually examined after being embedded in paraffin.

The morphological characteristics of the cells/tissues can be highlighted by various staining techniques.
The classical staining techniques help to identify cell structures, the relation between the different cell types as well as intercellular substances.
Histochemistry will highlight certain intra- or extracellular chemical or enzymatic components.
Immunohistochemistry identifies the antigenic substances recognised by specific antibodies.
In situ hybridisation allows the detection of nucleic acids.

The conservation of frozen samples, fixed or embedded in paraffin, allows their re-use or re-evaluation at a later date.

Quantitative or semi-quantitative analyses and morphometric measurements can complement the classical morphological or immunohistochemical analysis. For example, it is possible to calculate the vascular density, to measure the degree of positivity (especially in immunohistochemistry), as well as certain surfaces or distances.
Microscopy is of particular interest in a multidisciplinary comparison of results, thus allowing a better understanding of the mechanisms studied.