Immunocytochemistry, Immunohistochemistry and Antigen Retrieval Services
Find what you’re looking for
At Dalhousie’s Histology & Research Services (HRS) Laboratory, you will find a wide variety of services related to immunocytochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and antibody optimization. These services include:
- Immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase staining techniques to aid in the detection of antigens in tissues and cultured or animal cell preparations
- A wide range of positive tissue and cell controls for the confirmation of immunohistochemical staining results.
- Antigen retrieval techniques like heat pretreatment by pressure cooker or proteolytic enzyme digestion, to prevent the antigen-masking effect caused by formalin fixation.
- training and troubleshooting assistance.
- A list of available antibodies and detection systems for human and animal research for preliminary testing.
Draw on expert knowledge
At the HRS Laboratory we have the experience and knowledge to determine the best method of immunohistochemical detection, whether by confocal, light, or electron microscopy.
Graduate students and research personnel are expertly guided to perform successful immunostaining, among other techniques, and gain knowledge on how antibodies work together to yield the best morphological results in many areas of medical research.
As your expertise grows you will confidently know how to apply these techniques in many different experimental fields.
To develop the right protocol, we will consider:
- specimen source
- antigen availability
- antigen-antibody affinity
- antibody type
- detection enhancement procedures
We make reference to antibody data sheets, published literature, and animal care protocols for all procedures.
Contact us at pcolp@dal.ca to set your project in motion with the right expertise.