[...]... be given to the nature of the diagnostic specificity of the antibodies used and the properties of the target antigen Much of this information is theoretical and beyond the control of the diagnostic laboratory Nonetheless, you should have some familiarity with this aspect of the reagents and the information is often available in the literature and may be covered in the product profiles Page xii provided... expression of actin isotypes and this has formed the basis for the generation of antibodies directed at musclespecific actin subtypes HHF35 (muscle-specific actin) identifies all four actin isoforms present in smooth muscle as well as skeletal muscle cells, pericytes, myoepithelial cells and myofibroblasts In contrast, antibodies to α-SMA specifically identify the singleα isoform characteristic of smooth... provide useful diagnostic information but they have to be used in the context of a panel of antibodies directed to the diagnostic entities considered in differential diagnosis For example, in pleomorphic tumors of the skin, these markers are useful for the separation of atypical fibroxanthoma from its mimics (Leong & Milios, 1987), although other markers can provide more relevant information to separate... from the foregoing that immunohistology is not a simple matter of a positive or negative stain While it is a powerful diagnostic tool, immunostaining is only an adjunct to histologic examination and requires careful optimization if it is intended to produce the highest diagnostic yield (Leong, 1992) This book contains antibodies and antisera which we consider to be of diagnostic relevance Except for the... to a wide variety of diagnostic situations, providing an easy-to-use practical guide The addresses of worldwide suppliers of these reagents are included Also contained in the appendix is a detailed discussion of antigen retrieval techniques with a detailed protocol of the procedure This book will provide essential information for pathologists, technologists and clinicians who employ antibodies and antisera... mistaken for that of a carcinoma However, if antibodies to vimentin, broad-spectrum cytokeratin, S100 and HMB45 (melanoma-associated antigen) are also employed, the error will be averted as the profile of EMA+, CD45-,VIM+, CK-, S100-, HMB45- fits best with that of anaplastic large cell lymphoma In some situations it may be Page xi necessary to perform the immunostaining in two stages A primary panel of antibodies. .. background and applications of each reagent, together with pertinent references Common clones of diagnostic relevance and their sources are listed but this is not presented as exhaustive; furthermore, mainly antibodies immunoreactive in fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections are discussed, as these remain the mainstay of diagnostic histopathology Diagnostic Approach Diagnostic antibodies should not be... comprehensive range of available antibody clones and their sources are listed and a brief background is given before the applications of the reagents are discussed In addition, there is an up-to-date list of important references together with practical tips on immunostaining and interpretation The text is cross referenced to an Appendix that contains an extensive assembly of panels of antibodies for application... major categorization of the tumor and a secondary panel allows further subtyping For example, positivity for CD30 will be useful for the confirmation of the diagnosis of anaplastic large cell lymphoma and lineage typing can be further performed As an alternative, the algorithmic approach may be adopted (Leong et al, 1997) but whichever approach is favored, it is important that antibodies directed to... Antigen retrieval in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues, an enhancement method for immunohistochemical staining based on microwave oven heating of tissue sections Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry 39: 741-748 Taylor CR 1993 An exaltation of experts: concerted efforts in the standardization of immunohistochemistry Applied immunohistochemistry 1:223-243 Page 1 SECTION 1 ANTIBODIES Page 3 . worldwide by Oxford University Press Page iii Manual of Diagnostic Antibodies for Immunohistology Anthony S-Y Leong MBBS, MD, FRCPA, FRCPath, FCAP, Hon. FHKCPath, FHKAM (Pathol) Professor of Anatomical. to the nature of the diagnostic specificity of the antibodies used and the properties of the target antigen. Much of this information is theoretical and beyond the control of the diagnostic laboratory these remain the mainstay of diagnostic histopathology. Diagnostic Approach Diagnostic antibodies should not be employed in isolation but always as part of a panel of antibodies directed to the