Guest Post from OriGene: CytoSections™ - Unique Control Solution for IHC, IF, and iSH
Unlock Reproducible, High‑Confidence Controls with CytoSections™
In molecular pathology workflows—whether IHC, ICC, IF, or ISH—consistent positive controls can make or break assay performance. OriGene’s CytoSections™ deliver reliable, reproducible, FFPE‐based control slides tailored to your gene of interest, giving you unmatched precision for validation and screening.
What Are CytoSections™?
CytoSections™ are formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections of HEK293T cells that have been transiently transfected with your target cDNA. Expression is verified before embedding, and slides are cut to standard 5 µm thickness on positively charged glass.
Key Advantages
- Preserved Cellular Localization
Maintain authentic subcellular protein localization—nuclear, cytoplasmic, or membrane—mirroring real tissue patterns for reliable interpretation.
- Exceptional Reproducibility
Transient transfection avoids drift in gene expression over time. Every slide, every lot shows consistent target levels—no tissue heterogeneity, no surprises.
- Time & Cost Efficiency
Sidestep the need to hunt for rare tissue controls. Optimize antibodies and protocols using validated slides, thereby preserving precious patient/tissue samples and accelerating assay development.
Use Cases: Why CytoSections™ Stand Out
- Antibody Screening & Validation
Ideal for high-throughput evaluation of antibody specificity, including rare or mutant proteins.
IDH1 (R132H) mutant (TS600096P5) vs. wild‑type IDH1 CytoSections (TS410582P5) clearly separated specific antibody binding (TA190113)—strong to the mutant, none to wild type. Similarly, a different antibody clone against IDH1 (R132H) (TA190164) shows mild reactivity compared to that shown by TA190113. These results show CytoSections are a valuable alternative tool for antibody screening for IHC applications when tissue availability is limited.
- IHC / ICC Positive Controls
Whether validating new antibodies or troubleshooting workflows, CytoSections™ bring dependable positive controls right into your IHC/ICC pipeline. Negative controls include untransfected HEK293T slides (TC400001).
- ISH (In Situ Hybridization) Controls
Gene-specific RNA expression is maintained in the same sections, allowing CytoSections™ to serve as dual protein and RNA-positive controls. In use case below, ENPP1 CytoSections stained positively with RNA probes but not with control probes, while ENPP2 slides gave no cross-reactivity.
- Immunofluorescence (IF) Controls
CytoSections™ integrate seamlessly in IF workflows. In a case study, MAGEA3 and MAGEA4 proteins were effectively detected in their respective CytoSections using conjugated antibodies, with clean specificity and minimal background.
The case study below demonstrates the use of an Alexa Fluor 647-conjugated anti-MAGEA3 antibody to detect MAGEA3 in a MAGEA3 CytoSection (TS403288P5).
CytoSections can serve as effective immunofluorescence (IF) controls for validating antibody specificity. The case study below demonstrates the use of an Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated anti-MAGEA4 antibody to detect MAGEA4 in MAGEA4 CytoSections (TS418952P5, while showing no cross-reactivity in MAGEA3 CytoSections (TS403288P5).
- Ready-to-Use and Customizable
- Pre-validated gene targets available across hundreds of gene-specific CytoSections—tags, species, and host options included.
- Didn’t find your gene or desired mutation? Custom CytoSections™ can be created to your specifications—custom tags, mutation variants, or host cell lines available.
How CytoSections™ Benefit Your Workflow
| Workflow Stage | Traditional Approach | With CytoSections™ |
| Antibody screening | Tissue-based trial and error | Rapid screening using validated slides |
| Localization check | Tissue section variability | Uniform localization in HEK293T slides |
| Control consistency | Lot-to-lot tissue variation | Stable expression for every lot |
| Sample conservation | Uses precious patient/frozen tissue | Saves tissue for critical experiments |
| Speed of validation | Slow and resource-intensive | Fast, ready-to-use slides |
Your Path to Standardization
- Select CytoSection for your gene of interest from OriGene’s catalog.
- Use as a positive control in IHC, ICC, ISH, or IF workflows—side-by-side with negative empty vector slides.
- Customize as needed for rare mutants, tags, cell hosts, or bulk orders.
Final Thoughts
OriGene’s CytoSections™ redefine control standards in pathology workflows. With preserved localization, unbeatable reproducibility, flexibility for custom targets, and strong applications across antibody validation and multiplex workflows, they’re engineered to elevate assay confidence.