Any substance that causes disturbance to organisms by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by the organism.
Any compound used for the purpose of preserving biological tissues from decay in such a way as to allow for the preparation of thin, stained sections for subsequent histological study.
A dye used in microscopic or electron microscopic examination of cells and tissues to give contrast and to highlight particular features of interest, such as nuclei and cytoplasm.