[Immunohistochemical demonstration of tissue markers in histopathologic diagnosis]

Our experience with the demonstration of tissue markers in histopathology supports their value in differential diagnosis of routine material. Microscopic diagnostic methods are genuinely enriched by the use of such monoclonal antibodies and conventional antisera whose specificity has been adequately demonstrated using indirect peroxidase techniques in cut sections and on cytologic preparations. On the basis of several epithelial markers (carcinoembryonic antigen, keratin, tissue polypeptide antigen, MAM-antigens) and other antigens (protein S-100, chromogranin) examples are given for their application to routine differential diagnosis problems. The detection of these markers has been adapted to standardized indirect immunoperoxidase techniques. More sensitive tissue markers (i.e. antigens which do not withstand formalin fixation and paraffin embedding) should best be dealt with by specialized working groups.