BD Pharmingen™ BD Retrievagen B (pH 9.5)

BD Retrievagen B (pH 9.5) is an antigen retrieval system that is recommended for Zinc-fixed and Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections that show sub-optimal or no reactivity with antibodies for immunohistochemical staining. 10% neutral buffered formalin fixes the tissue by cross-linking proteins that may cause a conformational change or "masking" of the antigenic epitope leading to reduced or absent antibody reactivity. The BD Retrievagen B (pH 9.5) is designed to unmask the epitope and cause the enhancement of antibody staining. The proposed mechanism by which most of the antigen retrieval systems work is through breaking the cross-linking bonds formed between the protein molecules in the fixed tissue sections. It is important to realize that in spite of antigen retrieval, some antibodies do not stain on formalin-fixed paraffin sections. In these situations fixing the tissue in a less harsh fixative like the IHC Zinc fixative developed by BD Pharmingen (Cat. No. 550523) may be helpful. Our Zinc fixative preserves the epitope leading to good antibody staining at the same time depicting good tissue morphology. However, there are a few antigens that are not preserved by Zinc-fixation either and in these situations use of fresh frozen tissue for immunohistochemical staining is the only alternative.

BD Retrievagen B (pH 9.5) is an antigen retrieval system that is recommended for Zinc-fixed and Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections that show sub-optimal or no reactivity with antibodies for immunohistochemical staining. 10% neutral buffered formalin fixes the tissue by cross-linking proteins that may cause a conformational change or "masking" of the antigenic epitope leading to reduced or absent antibody reactivity. The BD Retrievagen B (pH 9.5) is designed to unmask the epitope and cause the enhancement of antibody staining. The proposed mechanism by which most of the antigen retrieval systems work is through breaking the cross-linking bonds formed between the protein molecules in the fixed tissue sections. It is important to realize that in spite of antigen retrieval, some antibodies do not stain on formalin-fixed paraffin sections. In these situations fixing the tissue in a less harsh fixative like the IHC Zinc fixative developed by BD Pharmingen (Cat. No. 550523) may be helpful. Our Zinc fixative preserves the epitope leading to good antibody staining at the same time depicting good tissue morphology. However, there are a few antigens that are not preserved by Zinc-fixation either and in these situations use of fresh frozen tissue for immunohistochemical staining is the only alternative.

(RUO)

Immunohistochemistry-paraffin, Immunohistochemistry-zinc-fixed (Routinely Tested)

Retrievagen B

Development References(3) 1. Chan JK. Advances in immunohistochemical techniques: toward making things simpler, cheaper, more sensitive, and more reproducible. Adv Anat Pathol. 1998; 5(5):314-325. (Biology). 2. Pileri SA, Roncador G, Ceccarelli C, et al. Antigen retrieval techniques in immunohistochemistry: comparison of different methods. J Pathol. 1997; 183(1):116-123. (Biology). 3. Shi SR, Key ME, Kalra KL. Antigen retrieval in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues: an enhancement method for immunohistochemical staining based on microwave oven heating of tissue sections. J Histochem Cytochem. 1991; 39(6):741-748. (Biology).