A simple and reliable immunohistochemical method for colocalization of 2 antigens in the same cells of paraffin-embedded tissues

Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol. 2013 Oct;21(5):471-7. doi: 10.1097/PAI.0b013e3182795710.

Abstract

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) lacks an efficient technique for colocalizing multiple antigens in the same cells of a single tissue section. The development of a methodology which combines the advantage of low cost, high sensitivity, and specificity would benefit clinical diagnosis and general research. On the basis of a newly published method of visualizing 2 antigens on a single paraffin-embedded tissue section, we have further developed a novel sequential technique for colocalizing 2 different antigens in a same cell in a paraffin-embedded tissue section. In this technique, we combined the microwave heating technique (MVT) with normal IHC methods to sequentially double stain a paraffin section; and colocalize 2 antigens in a single cell through result comparison stored in a digital management system. This MVT colocalization method has a higher degree of sensitivity and specificity comparable with conventional staining of both immunofluorescence and IHC systems. The primary advantage of this method is that it is inexpensive and convenient; the antibody(s) used in this method can be generated from the same or different species; it allows colocalization or comparison of different results of cell morphology for any single cell of the section on 2 images, avoids uncertainty when overlapping 2 antigens on a single image.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigens / immunology
  • Heating
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry / instrumentation
  • Immunohistochemistry / methods*
  • Microwaves
  • Paraffin Embedding

Substances

  • Antigens