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Chapter 1 - Introduction to Immunohistochemistry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 June 2025

By
Mai P. Hoang
Edited by
Mai P. Hoang
Mai P. Hoang
Affiliation:
Harvard Medical School, Boston
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Summary

Immunohistochemistry is a powerful diagnostic tool for practicing pathologists. Over the past few decades, the techniques used in immunohistochemistry have become exponentially more complex. By exploiting the specificity of antibody-antigen interactions, we can use commercially available labeled antibodies to determine the presence and dispersion of various macromolecules within tissue. Antigen retrieval techniques, tissue preservation and standardization have broadened the utility of immunohistochemistry from diagnostic ancillary test to screening for hereditary syndromes and serving as biomarkers in the era of personalized medicine. This chapter will describe the conceptual framework of immunohistochemistry, outline technical mechanisms, and explain its clinical relevance.

Keywords

immunohistochemistryantibodyantigenantigen retrievaldetectionstandardization
Type
Chapter
Information
Immunohistochemistry and Ancillary Studies in Diagnostic Dermatopathology , pp. 1 - 11
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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