Estrogen Receptor (ER) Antibody Staining Protocol for Immunohistochemistry

 

Description: Steroid receptors exhibit a high affinity and specificity for their ligands. The human estrogen receptor (ER) is a dimeric protein of 65 kDa located primarily on the membrane of cell nuclei and belongs to a class of trans-acting proteins which stimulate transcription by binding to specific DNA elements, also known as hormone response elements. Through binding estrogen, the ER is induced to stimulate gene transcription, hence is also known as an inducible enhancer factor. NCL-ER-6F11, effective on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded material, allows the determination of ER in routinely processed and archived material.

 

Primary Antibody

Name: Estrogen Receptor (ER) Antibody

Clone: 6F11, Mouse anti-Human

Supplier: Novocastra

Catalog Number: NCL-ER-6F11

Dilution: 1:100 using IHC-TekTM Antibody Diluent (Cat# IW-1000 or IW-1001) to reduce background and unspecific staining and serum blocking step is NOT needed.

Incubation Time/Temp: 60 minutes/room temperature


Antigen Retrieval
Device: IHC-TekTM Epitope Retrieval Steamer Set (Cat# IW-1102)
Buffer/pH value: IHC-TekTM Epitope Retrieval Solution (Cat# IW-1100)
Heat/Cool Temperature: 95 ºC - 100 ºC/room temperature
Heat/Cool Time: 20 minutes/20 minutes

Detection Methods
Standard Method: ABC Method or LSAB Method
Enhanced Method: Polymeric Methods

Chromogen Substrate
Reagent: DAB
Incubation Time/Temperature: 1-3 minutes/room temperature

Counterstain
Reagent: Mayer's Hematoxylin
Staining Time: 30 seconds

Results:
Staining Pattern: Nuclear
Images: Search image

Additional Information:
Tissue Type: Breast Mammary gland, Cervix uteri squamous epithelium, Prostate fibromuscular stroma, Uterus Endometrium.
Fixation: Formalin fixed paraffin sections, or acetone fixed frozen sections.
Positive Control: Breast Mammary gland, Cervix uteri squamous epithelium, Prostate fibromuscular stroma, Uterus Endometrium.
Negative Control: Omit primary antibody, isotype control or absorption control
Blocking: 2-5% normal serum to reduce unspecific background staining; 0.5-3% H2O2 to block endogenous peroxidase activity; avidin/biotin to block endogenous biotin activity if necessary

Notes:

No need to perform antigen retrieval on frozen sections

 

References:

1. Charafe-Jauffret E, et al (2004) Immunophenotypic analysis of inflammatory breast cancers: identification of an inflammatory signature. J Pathology. 202:265-273.