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In Situ Hybridization (ISH)

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  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Pathology

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Pathology ((EP))

  • 23 Accesses

Synonyms

ISH, In situ hybridization

Definition

In situ hybridization is the method to visualize specific DNA or RNA sequences in tissue sections, cell or chromosome preparations, and whole intact organisms. It combines molecular biological techniques with histological and cytological analysis.

Principle

ISH allows the detection of specific nucleic acid sequences directly within the site of interest, giving information on the type of cell involved and without tissue destruction. It is based on the ability of nucleic acids to specifically anneal to each other to form hybrids. By taking advantage of this property, DNA and RNA sequences present in a tissue sample, if adequately preserved, can be detected by hybridization with a labeled complementary strand of nucleic acid (probe) to form a stable hybrid. Once the hybrid is formed, it can be detected, in the site of formation, by various methods based on the type of probe labeling. The first description of ISH was in 1969, using radioactive...

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References and Further Reading

  • Cassidy, A., & Jones, J. (2014). Developments in in situ hybridisation. Methods, 70(1), 39–45.

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  • Chiaravalli, A. M., Feltri, M., Bertolini, V., Bagnoli, E., Furlan, D., Cerutti, R., …, & Capella, C. (2006). Intratumour T cells, their activation status and survival in gastric carcinomas characterised for microsatellite instability and Epstein–Barr virus infection. Virchows Archiv, 448(3), 344–353.

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  • Chu, Y. H., Hardin, H., Zhang, R., Guo, Z., & Lloyd, R. V. (2019). In situ hybridization: Introduction to techniques, applications and pitfalls in the performance and interpretation of assays. In Seminars in diagnostic pathology, 36, (pp. 336–341). WB Saunders.

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  • Gall, J. G., & Pardue, M. L. (1969). Formation and detection of RNA-DNA hybrid molecules in cytological preparations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 63(2), 378–383.

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  • Hacker, G. W., Hauser-Kronberger, C., Zehbe, I., Su, H., Schiechl, A., Dietze, O., & Tubbs, R. (1997). In situ localization of DNA and RNA sequences: Super-sensitive in situ hybridization using streptavidin-Nanogold [TM]-silver staining: Minireview, protocols and possible applications. Cell Vision, 4, 54–65.

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  • Hayat, M. A. (2004). Comparison of immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and chromogenic in situ hybridization. In M. A. Hayat (Ed.), Handbook of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization of human carcinomas (pp. 1–12). Burlington: Elsevier Academic Press.

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  • Jin, L., & Lloyd, R. V. (1997). In situ hybridization: Methods and applications. Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis, 11(1), 2–9.

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  • Wu, R., & Shi, Z. (2004). Comparison of chromogenic in situhybridization, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry. In M. A. Hayat (Ed.), Handbook of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization of human carcinomas (pp. 13–26). Burlington: Elsevier Academic Press.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, ASST Sette Laghi, Varese, Italy

    Anna Maria Chiaravalli

Authors
  1. Anna Maria Chiaravalli
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anna Maria Chiaravalli .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. NIJMEGEN, The Netherlands

    J.H.J.M. van Krieken

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Chiaravalli, A.M. (2020). In Situ Hybridization (ISH). In: van Krieken, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pathology. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_5086-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_5086-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28845-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28845-1

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