How should a tissue culture be prepared for transport?

• A. Left dry in a paper envelope
• B. Placed in formalin and sealed in a plastic bag
• C. Wrapped in a sterile swab, moistened with sterile saline and placed in a sterile plain tube.
• D. Placed on ice without container

Answer: (C)

Preserving viability and preventing contamination during transport requires a sterile, moist, and securely sealed setup. A sterile swab collected from the tissue and moistened with sterile saline keeps the sample moist and minimizes tissue damage, while the sterile plain tube provides a clean, leak‑proof container. This combination avoids introducing fixatives that would kill cells or organisms, and it prevents desiccation that can render the culture nonviable. Drying the tissue in a paper envelope allows rapid desiccation and contamination; using formalin fixes the tissue and stops any culture growth; placing tissue on ice without a container risks leaks, contamination, and temperature fluctuations. In short, moisture, sterility, and proper containment make the sample suitable for subsequent culture and diagnostic work.