IHC Enzyme Antigen Retrieval Reagent

The IHC enzyme antigen retrieval compound digest solution contains multiple proteinases that catalyze proteolysis in tissue samples, breaking the proteins into smaller peptide fractions and amino acids. Enzymatic digestion is commonly used in IHC in the PIER method for antigen retrieval to overcome the lost immunoreactivity of epitopes caused by the covalent cross-links that are formed in tissues during formalin fixation. Proteolysis acts to improve the accessibility of antibodies to target antigens by two main mechanisms: by increasing the penetration of immunoreagents into tissue structures as a result of both tissue digestion and relaxation of the rigid protein structure, and by restoring the methylene-bridged antigenic sites. Since proteases exhibit different cleavage site specificity, the combination of multiple proteinases provides a broader spectrum of proteins digestion in a tissue sample. Thus various types of antigenic targets (e.g. protein, glycoprotein, or non-protein, inter- or intracellular antigens) can benefit from this cocktail of digestion enzymes.