Choosing the right controls depends on several factors. Here are some key questions to consider:
What is the Target of Interest? Knowing what you are trying to detect is crucial. For instance, if you are looking for a specific protein, your positive control should be a tissue known to express that protein.
What Type of Staining is Being Used? The type of staining, whether it is immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, or H&E staining, will influence the choice of controls. For immunohistochemistry, you might need both positive and negative controls to validate antibody specificity.
Are There Known Variations in Expression? Some antigens may have variable expression levels across different tissues or conditions. In such cases, having multiple controls with varying levels of expression can be beneficial.
