THE THEORETICAL RELATIONSHIP OF IMMUNOGOLD LABELING ON ACRYLIC SECTIONS AND EPOXY SECTIONS

The purpose of this study was to predict the ratio of immunogold label ing of LR-White sections and epoxy sections using theoretical methods. Tissues used in the experiments were pancreas, pituitary, kidney, thy roid and fibrin. Antigens used as test proteins were glucagon, somatos tatin, thyroglobulin, chromogranin A, ACTH (adrenocorticotropt hormone ), amyloid A and fibrinogen. These are proteins of different sizes. Th e quotient labeling(LR.White)/labeling(epoxy) was deduced theoreticall y and compared to calculations based on practical immunogold experimen ts. The theoretically deduced formula showed acceptable correlation to these calculations. This study gives a theory-expressed mathematicall y-for what is happening on the molecular level at the surface of resin sections in immunoelectron microscopy. The theory explains why acryli c resins normally are better suited for immunoelectron microscopy than epoxy sections, and indicates increased usefulness of epoxy sections when the diameter of the protein carrying the epitope decreases. Copyr ight (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.