Fixierten

Fixierten is a form of the German verb fixieren (to fix, fasten, preserve, immobilize) and can also function as an attributive adjective in front of a noun. It appears as the präteritum (past tense) form sie fixierten or als attributive adjective in phrases like die fixierten Proben, where the ending -en reflects German declension rules. In everyday language it is thus both a verb form and a descriptor meaning “fixed” or “preserved.”

In biology and microscopy, fixation refers to the preservation of biological material to halt biological processes and maintain morphology for observation. Fixed samples are treated with fixatives such as formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde or glutaraldehyde, which cross-link proteins and other biomolecules. The process stabilizes structures of cells and tissues, enabling subsequent procedures such as staining, embedding, sectioning, or imaging. The phrase fixierten Zellen or fixierte Proben denotes cells or specimens that have undergone this treatment.

Outside biology, fixation has broader meanings related to securing or immobilizing objects. In medicine and surgery, fixation can describe immobilization of bones or tissues using devices like pins or plates. In engineering or manufacturing, it refers to attaching or securing components to prevent movement or detachment. The general sense across contexts is the transition from a movable or unstable state to a stable, fixed one.

Etymology traces fixieren to the Latin figere, via French and other languages, with the related noun Fixierung meaning fixation. The term is widely used in scientific, medical, and technical vocabulary to denote preservation, immobilization, or stabilization.