The process of IHC typically involves several steps:
Fixation: Preserving the tissue to maintain its structure and antigenicity. Embedding: Providing support to the tissue for sectioning. Sectioning: Producing thin slices of tissue to be placed on slides. Antigen Retrieval: Treating the tissue to unmask antigens that may be hidden due to fixation. Blocking: Reducing non-specific binding of antibodies. Primary Antibody Incubation: Applying the primary antibody to bind to the target antigen. Secondary Antibody Incubation: Applying the secondary antibody, which is often conjugated to a detectable marker. Detection: Visualizing the antigen-antibody complex, usually through enzymatic reaction or fluorescence.
