Troubleshooting tissue specificity and antibody selection: Procedures in immunohistochemical studies

Optimal antigen detection and identification is dependent on the tissue of interest, the method of fixation, processing, and antibody specificity. We evaluated specific antigens in frozen middle cerebral artery (MCA) sections from rat brains under various conditions of fixation and differing primary and secondary antibody concentrations. Fresh MCAs were frozen, cryosectioned (8 microm), and adhered to chrom-alum coated slides. The effects of different fixation and antigen retrieval/pretreatments were tested for detection of enzymes and receptors involved in MCA tone regulation. Antigen localization was determined with specific primary antibodies and detected using fluorochrome-conjugated secondary antibodies. Spatial distribution of localized antigens was imaged using confocal microscopy. Frozen sections preserved the morphology of the endothelium and/or vessel wall within the tissue in a manner comparable to formalin-fixed sections. Fixation and tissue processing methods were modified based on the primary antibody used. Optimal antigen detection was obtained using fixatives such as 4% paraformaldehyde, 100% acetone or 100% methanol. Pretreatments, such as 1% SDS, enzymatic digestion using 0.1% trypsin, or application of heat were used to optimize antigen-antibody interaction. Stringent background and control checks were performed to ensure specificity of staining in both single and multiple labeling techniques. In a research setting where epitope detection is not used for diagnostic purposes, there is more latitude in tissue fixation. Frozen samples offer a more versatile method of linking the appropriate fixation and tissue processing to the primary antibody's unique needs. At the same time, it stabilizes the tissue in a format that allows for later analysis of multiple antigens with specific detection requirements in same tissue.