title: Analysis of specificity in immunoelectron microscopy.
abstract: Immunoelectron microscopy (immuno-EM) using gold labeling on sections is a powerful technique for mapping the distribution of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids in intact biological systems. The gold particles comprise a useful and readily quantifiable digital readout. Simply applying a labeling reagent (antibody or other affinity probe) to an ultrathin section yields a pattern of gold signal over the biological structures displayed in the section. This initial (raw) distribution of gold signal contains both specific and nonspecific labeling. Here we describe a method for removing nonspecific labeling to leave the target-specific signal. This specific labeling distribution better reflects the "real" distribution of the cell component of interest.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Biology, St. Andrew University, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hacker
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lucocq
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron / Q000379:methods*; D008867:Microtomy / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods