title: The antigen-antibody reaction in immunohistochemistry.
abstract: The problems of major concern in immunohistochemical practice are discussed in the following order: (a) the mechanism of the Ag-Ab reaction in fixed tissue as opposed to the in vitro reaction; (b) the chemistry of fixation and its influence on the final result of the immunohistochemical reaction; (c) the various procedures used for antigen retrieval in formaldehyde-fixed tissue; and (d) the consideration of the possible mechanism underlying heat-induced antigen retrieval. Suggestions for further work to attempt a clarification of the mechanism involved in the Ag-Ab reaction in immunohistochemistry resorting to existing histochemical methods for the demonstration of protein side groups are presented, together with some examples already published.
authors.affiliation: montclau@supercable.es
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000941:Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D005404:Fixatives; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016707:Tissue Fixation
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000941:Antigens; D005404:Fixatives; D011506:Proteins; D005557:Formaldehyde