Immunohistochemistry services (IHC) is one of many laboratory techniques pathologists use to check for signs of disease in tissue biopsies. It uses antibodies to find antigens, which are then visualized using different methods.
Because of its ability to identify specific cell antigens in tissue sections, immunohistochemistry is a very useful tool in a variety of diseases and conditions, including cancer, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and hematologic malignancies. In recent years, IHC has expanded to include the evaluation of predictive and prognostic biomarkers.
When interpreting IHC results, there are several basic guidelines that should be considered. First, a negative staining reaction should not be used to exclude a tumor from consideration; rather, it may reflect a technical issue related to fixation and tissue processing or an inability of the antigen to be recognized by the antibody. In addition, it is important to recognize that there is often staining variation between and within individual samples. For example, Her-2/neu demonstrates membranous staining, whereas estrogen receptor and progesterone receptors are nuclear. It is also critical to evaluate the subcellular distribution of immunoreactivity, as this can affect diagnosis.
Comprehensive Guide to ELISA Kits, Antibodies, and Top Antibody Companies
The Histopathology Shared Resource is pleased to provide research core funding support for immunohistochemistry projects using our Ventana Benchmark XT automated stainer. We are available to perform single- and double-antibody stains, including chromogenic IHC, on both formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) and fresh frozen tissues. Researchers must provide the antibody(s) of interest for their project. The core can test and titer new antibodies prior to purchase, as well as optimize a researcher-supplied antibody manually. Large scale requests requiring multiple antibodies or that require pathologist involvement must be discussed with a collaborating pathologist and approved before they can be submitted via iLab.