Several techniques are employed to study methylation in histological samples:
1. Bisulfite Sequencing: This method involves treating DNA with sodium bisulfite, which converts unmethylated cytosines to uracils, while methylated cytosines remain unchanged. Sequencing this treated DNA allows researchers to determine the methylation status at specific loci.
2. Immunohistochemistry (IHC): This technique uses antibodies specific to 5-methylcytosine to visualize methylation patterns within tissue sections.
3. Methylation-Specific PCR (MSP): This method amplifies DNA regions that are either methylated or unmethylated using specific primers, allowing for the detection of methylation status.
