However, developments in automation have led to a much more efficient workflow, providing high-throughput sample preparation and staining.  

These high-throughput devices are called automated immunohistochemistry stainers, IHC stainers, autostainers, or automated slide stainers, and provide greatly increased turnaround times. They come in various formats, from compact benchtop models to larger fully open systems.

IHC staining is critical to several applications and plays an important role in pathology and histology by detecting the presence of specific protein markers. These markers use antibodies that bind with specific antigens to help accurately classify and diagnose abnormal cells, such as those found in cancerous tumors. Antigens are a type of protein found throughout certain cells.

The diagnosis these markers provide can be used to determine whether or not a cancerous tumor is benign or malignant, as well as the cancer’s severity, among other medical analyses.

IHC can also be used for basic research, including the study of biomarker distribution and localization and distinctly expressed proteins in different parts of the body, along with normal tissue and organ development, pathological processes, and cell death and repair.

Furthermore, IHC staining has become a complementary technique to H&E staining, short for hematoxylin and eosin, and Special Stain techniques.

While H&E and Special Stain are non-specific, IHC provides the ability to stain specific protein markers. You will also see scientists and researchers combine in-situ hybridization (ISH) methods with immunostaining to generate more complete pictures of protein and mRNA expression in specific tissue sections and cell types.

ISH is a unique molecular analysis method because it provides the precise microscopic localization of DNA, mRNA and microRNA.