Immunohistochemistry Techniques


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Many different antibodies are commercially available for use in immunohistochemistry methods. Given below are various antibodies with images illustrating their specificity and usage.


Name of AntibodyDiagnosis
AATAlpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) staining of liver, medium power microscopic
ACTH Carcinoid tumor, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), low power microscopic
ACTH Carcinoid tumor, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), medium power microscopic
ActinActin positive normal breast duct myoepithelial cells, high power microscopic
ActinActin positive desmoid, high power microscopic
ActinActin positive normal skeletal muscle, with negative staining in sarcoma, low power microscopic
AE-1AE-1 positive metastatic adenocarcinoma in bone marrow, medium power microscopic
AE-1AE-1 positive Merkel cell carcinoma of skin, high power microscopic
AFPAlpha-fetoprotein (AFP) staining of fetal liver, medium power microscopic
BCL-1BCL-1 (cyclin D1) positivity, mantle cell lymphoma in spleen, medium power microscopic
BCL-2BCL-2 positivity, lymphoma in lymph node, medium power microscopic
BCL-2BCL-2 positivity in breast carcinoma, medium power microscopic
CA-125CA-125 positivity, ovarian cystadenocarcinoma, medium power microscopic
CalbindenCalbinden positive Purkinje cells and processes in cerebellum, high power microscopic
CalcitoninCalcitonin positive "C" cells in thyroid, medium power microscopic
CAM 5,2CAM 5,2 positive Merkel cell carcinoma of skin, high power microscopic
Cathepsin DCathepsin D positive breast carcinoma, medium power microscopic
Cathepsin DCathepsin D positive breast carcinoma, medium power microscopic
CD-1CD-1 positive Langerhans cells in skin, medium power microscopic
CD-1ACD-1A positive Langerhans cells in eosinophilic granuloma of bone, high power microscopic
CD-45CD-45 (or common leukocyte antigen) positive CNS lymphoma, high power microscopic
CD-3CD-3 positive normal T cells in acute cellular cardiac rejection, medium power microscopic
CD-3CD-3 positive large cell lymphoma of T-cell origin, medium power microscopic
CD-45ROCD-45RO positive T-cell lymphoma, high power microscopic
CD-15CD-15 positive Reed-Sternberg and lacunar cells with Hodgkin's disease, high power microscopic
CD-15CD-15 positive cells, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, high power microscopic
CD-20CD-20 positive normal B cells in lymph node follicle, medium power microscopic
CD-20CD-20 positive B-cell CNS lymphoma, high power microscopic
CD-20CD-20 stained lymph node, follicular lysis with HIV infection, medium power microscopic
CD-30CD-30 (Ki-1) positive large cell lymphoma, medium power microscopic
CD-31CD-31 positive vasculature in lymph node, medium power microscopic
CD-34CD-34 positive Kaposi's sarcoma of skin, low power microscopic
CD-43CD-43 positive small lymphocytic lymphoma involving liver, medium power microscopic
CD-45-ROCD-45-RO positive normal T cells in interfollicular zone of lymph node, medium power microscopic
CD-68CD-68 positive macrophages in follicles and interfollicular zone of lymph node, low power microscopic
CD-68CD-68 positive mast cells in skin with urticaria pigmentosa, medium power microscopic
CEACEA positive adenocarcinoma of colon, low power microscopic
CEACEA positive adenocarcinoma of colon, medium power microscopic
C-mycC-myc positive carcinoma, high power microscopic
ChromograninChromogranin positive endocrine cells in a normal islet of Langerhans, medium power microscopic
ChromograninChromogranin positive neuroendocrine carcinoma of colon, high power microscopic
CK-7Cytokeratin CK-7 positive staining in an ovarian carcinoma, high power microscopic
CK-20Cytokeratin CK-20 positive staining in a colonic adenocarcinoma, high power microscopic
CytokeratinLow molecular weight cytokeratin (LMW-CK) positive gastric adenocarcinoma, high power microscopic
CytomegalovirusCytomegalovirus pneumonia in AIDS, medium and high power microscopic
DesminNormal skeletal muscle fibers stain with desmin, high power microscopic
Dystrophin Normal skeletal muscle fibers stain for dystrophin, medium power microscopic
Dystrophin Becker muscular dystrophy, medium power microscopic
EMA Epithelial membrane antigen, pancreas, medium power microscopic
Epstein-Barr virusEpstein-Barr virus (EBV) infected T-lymphocytes in post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), medium power microscopic
Estrogen ReceptorEstrogen receptor, >95% cells staining, positive breast carcinoma, medium power microscopic
Estrogen ReceptorEstrogen receptor, >95% cells staining, positive breast carcinoma, medium power microscopic
Estrogen ReceptorEstrogen receptor, 50% cells staining, positive breast carcinoma, high power microscopic
Estrogen ReceptorEstrogen receptor, normal breast tissue, high power microscopic
Factor VIIINormal lymph node vessels positive for factor VIII, high power microscopic
GFAPNormal brain with GFAP, medium power microscopic
GFAPAstrocytoma, low grade, with GFAP, medium power microscopic
GFAPGlioblastoma multiforme with GFAP, high power microscopic
GFAPEpendymoma with GFAP, high power microscopic
HCG Placental villi positive for human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), medium power microscopic
HER2-neuHER2-neu (C-erbB-2), score 0, negative breast carcinoma, high power microscopic
HER2-neuHER2-neu (C-erbB-2), score 1+, negative breast carcinoma, high power microscopic
HER2-neuHER2-neu (C-erbB-2), score 2+, positive breast carcinoma, high power microscopic
HER2-neuHER2-neu (C-erbB-2), score 3+, positive breast carcinoma, high power microscopic
HER2-neuHER2-neu (C-erbB-2), score 3+, positive breast carcinoma, high power microscopic
HER2-neuHER2-neu (C-erbB-2), score 3+, positive Paget's disease of breast, medium power microscopic
HGHHuman growth hormone, anterior pituitary, high power microscopic
Glucagon, InsulinGlucagon positive on left and insulin positive on right, normal islet of Langherhans, high power microscopic
HBcAgHepatitis B, core antigen, high power microscopic
HMB-45 Melanoma of skin with HMB-45, high power microscopic
HMB-45 Metastatic melanoma to lymph node with HMB-45, medium power microscopic
HMB-45 Melanoma with perineural invasion, HMB-45, high power microscopic
HPL Placental villi positive for human placental lactogen (HPL), medium power microscopic
HSV Skin with herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, high power microscopic
Kappa Normal lymph node stained for kappa light chain, low power microscopic
Kappa Normal lymph node stained for kappa light chain, high power microscopic
MIB-1 Composite of a reactive lymphoid process and a malignant lymphoma with the MIB-1 proliferation marker, medium power microscopic
MIB-1 Breast carcinoma with the MIB-1 proliferation marker, medium power microscopic
Myeloperoxidase Normal lymph node stained for myeloperoxidase (MPO), medium power microscopic
NeurofilamentNormal cerebral white matter with neurofilament staining, high power microscopic
NSE Neuroendocrine carcinoma stained for neuron specific enolase (NSE), medium power microscopic
NSE Neuroblastoma stained for neuron specific enolase (NSE), medium power microscopic
p53p53 positive adenocarcinoma, medium power microscopic
p53p53 positive breast carcinoma, medium power microscopic
p80p80 (NPM/ALK) positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma, medium power microscopic
ParathormoneParathormone (PTH) positive parathyroid carcinoma, medium power microscopic
PneumocystisPneumocystis positive pulmonary Pneumocystis carinii (jirovecii) pneumonia in AIDS, high power microscopic
Progesterone ReceptorProgesterone receptor, >95% cells staining, positive breast carcinoma, high power microscopic
PAPProstatic acid phosphatase (PAP) positive normal prostatic glands, low power microscopic
PSAProstate specific antigen (PSA) positive prostatic adenocarcinoma, medium power microscopic
S-100 Normal peripheral nerve stained for S-100 protein, medium power microscopic
S-100 Normal colonic plexuses with ganglia and nerves stained for S-100 protein, medium power microscopic
S-100 Eosinophilic granuloma of bone stained for S-100, medium power microscopic
Synaptophysin Neuroendocrine carcinoma stained for synaptophysin, medium power microscopic
tDTTerminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase positive lymphoma, medium power microscopic
ThyroglobulinNormal thyroid demonstrates staining for thyroglobulin in the follicles, medium power microscopic
Topoisomerase IITopoisomerase II positive carcinoma, high power microscopic
ToxoplasmaToxoplasma positive pulmonary toxoplasmosis in AIDS, high power microscopic
VimentinVimentin positive sarcoma, high power microscopic
VimentinVimentin positive sarcoma invading normal muscle, high power microscopic
VimentinVimentin positive desmoid, high power microscopic
VimentinVimentin positive alveolar macrophages, high power microscopic

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