Hybridization chain reaction enables a unified approach to multiplexed, quantitative, high-resolution immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization

Maayan Schwarzkopf, Mike C. Liu, Samuel J. Schulte, Rachel Ives, Naeem Husain, Harry M. T. Choi, Niles A. Pierce

Development 148, dev199847 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.199847

RNA in situ hybridization based on the mechanism of the hybridization chain reaction (HCR) enables multiplexed, quantitative, high-resolution RNA imaging in highly autofluorescent samples, including whole-mount vertebrate embryos, thick brain slices and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Here, we extend the benefits of one-step, multiplexed, quantitative, isothermal, enzyme-free HCR signal amplification to immunohistochemistry, enabling accurate and precise protein relative quantitation with subcellular resolution in an anatomical context. Moreover, we provide a unified framework for simultaneous quantitative protein and RNA imaging with one-step HCR signal amplification performed for all target proteins and RNAs simultaneously.