Immunohistochemistry (IHC)

Vector Labs reagents for your complete workflow

Vector Laboratories, as a specialist in immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, offers you a comprehensive range of kits and reagents for every step in your IHC workflow or IF workflow.

Our partner Vector Laboratories develops innovative laboratory detection reagents with decades of experience. The VECTASTAIN® ABC systems established them as the leader in immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunocytochemistry (ICC). Vector products are well regarded for their high sensitivity, low background, reliability, reproducibility, and value pricing.

Selecting the appropriate reagents for your IHC assay is an important part of optimizing your protocol. Vector Laboratories is your resource for premium labeling and detection products at each step of your IHC workflow:

 

ABC (Avidin-Biotin Complex) Staining Kits

With more than 60,000 citations to its credit, Vector Labs's VECTASTAIN® Avidin-Biotin Complex Staining Kits (ABC Kits) exploit the high-affinity avidin-biotin interaction for reliable, highly sensitive detection of any biotinylated molecule. Use these kits to visualize biotinylated antibodies, lectins, neuronal tracers, nucleic acids, and ligands in applications such as IHC and ICC, blot detection, In situ hybridization (ISH), immunoassays (ELISAs), or neuronal tracing. The VECTASTAIN Elite ABC system is Vector's most sensitive avidin/biotin-based peroxidase system and is approximately 5 times more sensitive than the original VECTASTAIN ABC Kit.

Use the VECTASTAIN ABC system if you are looking for:

• High sensitivity with low background
• Versatility
• Modularity
• Convenience and economy

 

Blocking Reagents

Blocking solutions can prevent background interference from different sources, including autofluorescence, endogenous enzyme activity, Fc receptors, or interactions of detection reagents with tissue/cell proteins and other macromolecules.

Vector Laboratories offers blocking solutions for a variety of applications.

To determine which blocking solution may be best for you, run series of negative controls as outlined in Vector Lab's Troubleshooting Guide.

 

Enzyme Substrates

The choice of a suitable enzyme-substrate combination has a decisive influence on good results in immunohistochemistry. In addition to classical substrates with conventional sensitivity for Horseradish Peroxidase (HRPO) and Alkaline Phosphatase (AP), Vector Laboratories offers substrates with 2-4-fold increased sensitivity with the ImmPACT® series.

 

Counterstaining and Unmasking

Vector Laboratories offers you a range of useful histology reagents to complement and optimize your immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunocytochemistry (ICC), and immunofluorescence (IF) experiments:

• Antigen retrieval (unmasking) reagents — retrieve antigens in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections (in combination with a high temperature treatment) for improved immunolabeling
• Counterstains and special stains — stain cell nuclei, cytoplasm, and other cellular components to better visualize tissue morphology

• Slide preparation products — simplify slide preparation in IHC, ICC, and IF applications; products include ImmEdge® hydrophobic barrier (VEC-H-4000) and ImmPrint® histology (VEC-H-6100) pens, and VECTABOND® tissue section adhesive (VEC-SP-1800)

 

Mounting Media

Using the correct mounting medium preserves your histochemical stains or precipitable enzyme substrates in tissue sections or cell preparations. VectaMount Mounting Medium is an optically clear and odorless formula for permanently preserving histochemical stains or precipitable enzyme substrates in tissue sections or cell preparations. VECTASHIELD® next generation mounting medium for immunofluorescence (IF) stainings is a unique, stable formula for preserving fluorescence.