Immunological Reagents and Amplification Systems

Immunohistochemistry/immunocytochemistry (ICC) and allied techniques are used to visualize and localize specific tissue components. The principle of ICC is the binding of an antibody (Ab) to a specific antigen. Allied techniques include the labeling of glycoproteins with lectins, the labeling of receptors with ligands such as toxins, and the labeling of nucleic acids by in situ hybridization. These methods are based on similar principles of specific affinity, and similar methods of detection and amplification have been developed.