Immunolabeling

Immunolabeling is a biochemical process that enables the detection and localization of an antigen to a particular site within a cell, tissue, or organ.

Since it is impractical to fuse a tag to every conceivable antigen-specific antibody, most immunolabeling processes use an indirect method of detection.

[4] Immunolabeling can be used in pharmacology, molecular biology, biochemistry and any other field where it is important to know of the precise location of an antibody-bindable molecule.

The hapten is covalently linked to the primary antibody by succinyl imidesters or conjugated IgG Fc-specific Fab sections.

This decreases the likelihood that the antibodies will bind to an unwanted epitope of the antigen not found on the initial peptide.

[13] In establishing the specificity of antibodies, the key factor is the type of synthetic peptides or purified proteins being used.

In general, a compound light microscope is frequently used, where two lenses, the eyepiece, and the objective work simultaneously to generate the magnification of the specimen.

For instance, a study was conducted to view the morphology and the production of hormones in pituitary adenoma cell cultures via light microscopy and other electron microscopic methods.

This type of microscopy confirmed that the primary adenoma cell cultures keep their physiological characteristics in vitro, which matched the histology inspection.

[17] Electron microscopy is a common method that uses the immunolabeling technique to view tagged tissues or cells.

In particular, these investigators used UV irradiation of separated nuclei or showed how chromosomes assist by high levels of specific immunolabeling, which were viewed by electron microscopy.

A study was conducted to examine the structures of CS3 and CS6 fimbriae in different Escherichia coli strains, which were detected by TEM followed by negative staining, and immunolabeling.

These secondary electrons are detected by a sensor, and the image of the specimen is generated over a certain time period.

This immunolabeling technique is very similar to the immuno-fluorescence method, but a colloidal gold tag is used instead of a fluorophore.

Scientists have concluded the usage of smaller gold particles (1-5 nm) should be enlarged and enhanced with silver.

Although osmium tetroxide staining can scratch the silver, gold particle enhancement was found not to be susceptible to scratching by osmium tetroxide staining; therefore, many cell adhesion studies of different substrates can use the immunogold labeling mechanism via the enhancement of the gold particles.

Researchers conducted a study which tested the compatibility of immunolabeling with many developmental techniques for fingerprints.