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:

 

1. Slide Preparation

Sections should be mounted on charged slides to minimize tissue loss during the staining protocol. If multiple sections are mounted on slides, a hydrophobic barrier pen can be used to separate the sections and localize the reagents. Vector provides several helpful accessories for preparing slides for immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunocytochemistry (ICC), in situ hybridisation and immunofluorescence (IF) applications.

 

2. Antigen Unmasking Solutions

To achieve optimal staining on formalin-fixed tissues in IHC and IF workflows, Vector Laboratories offers two highly effective antigen unmasking solutions, each supplied as a 100x concentrated stock for convenience and reproducibility. When used in combination with high-temperature treatment, these solutions efficiently reverse formalin-induced cross-linking, exposing antigenic sites for improved antibody binding and enhanced staining intensity.

• Antigen Unmasking Solution, Citrate-Based (VEC-H-3300)
• Antigen Unmasking Solution, Tris-Based (VEC-H-3301)
• TrueVIEW Autofluorescence Quenching Kit - remove unwanted fluorescence in tissue sections

 

3. 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 Blocking Guide.

 

4. Primary Antibodies

A specific antibody that binds directly to the target antigen in the tissue, enabling precise identification and localization. Antibody specificity and sensitivity are two main factors that influence successful outcomes for immunofluorescence (IF) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) applications. Favorable antibody performance in other assays does not always translate to IF and IHC applications and can result in undesirable effects, including producing weak or no signal, showing nonspecific background staining that interferes with analysis, or even causing false positive signals.

LSBio, a Vector Laboratories brand, was established as a molecular pathology company with a focus on protein localization in diseased human tissues by IHC. Through the experience gained by executing thousands of IHC studies and testing many thousands of antibodies, LSBio curates and validates high-quality antibodies designed to support reliable performance in IHC and research pathology.

You can also choose from BIOZOL's own range of antibodies under the dianova, Histoprime and DCS brands, as well as from our global network of high-end antibody manufacturers.

 

5. Detection

Secondary antibodies and other detection reagents deposit enzymes (e.g., horseradish peroxidase or alkaline phosphatase) at the antigen site amplifying the signal and enabling precise visualization of the antigen-antibody complex.

Vector’s ImmPRESS Polymer Detection Reagents provide researchers with robust, sensitive, and streamlined solutions for high-performance immunohistochemistry (IHC) applications.

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.

BIOZOL provides you with a large portfolio of secondary antibodies from renowned suppliers.

 

6. Substrate & Counterstain

Chromogenic substrates (e.g., DAB) react with the deposited enzymes to produce a colored precipitate marking the antigen for easy microscopic observation. 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.

Counterstains provide contrast and tissue context, highlighting structures like nuclei to complement the specific staining. Vector Laboratories offers you a range of useful histology reagents to complement and optimize your immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunocytochemistry (ICC), and immunofluorescence (IF) experiments:

 

7. 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.