Final answer:
Tissues are dehydrated through a series of alcohols when being prepared for light microscopy, which preserves their structural integrity for examination and staining.
Step-by-step explanation:
When tissues are being prepared for light microscopy, they are dehydrated by being transferred through a series of alcohols. During the process of dehydration, the tissue samples are exposed to incremental concentrations of alcohol, which effectively removes water from the tissues. This is essential for preserving the structural integrity of the tissues for microscopic examination and subsequent staining.
The alcohols commonly used include ethanol and methanol, which replace the water in the tissue, leading to dehydration. It's important to note that alcohols can dehydrate to form other compounds under different conditions, but in the context of tissue preparation, their primary role is to dehydrate and preserve the tissue samples.