IHC standards are control samples used in immunohistochemistry experiments. They typically contain sections of known positive and negative tissues or cell lines. They are used to verify the reliability of experimental procedures, the specificity of antibodies, and the accuracy of results. They help researchers standardize protocols, ensure consistency across batches, and reduce variability. For example, when testing HER2 expression in breast cancer, standards must clearly indicate positive and negative results to calibrate experimental conditions.

IAlthough a variety of universal standards are available on the market, they may not meet specific needs in certain scenarios. Customized IHC standards are primarily used for the following reasons:

1. Study Specificity: Universal standards may lack specific targets or tissue types. For example, when studying rare mutations or conducting cross-species experiments, customized standards containing the target antigen are required.

2. Experimental Standardization Needs: Experimental conditions (such as antibodies and instruments) vary significantly between laboratories. Customized standards can align with internal processes and enhance comparability of results.

3. Quality Control Requirements: In production or clinical settings, customized standards can be used for long-term quality control to ensure the stability of batch experiments.

4. Cost and Efficiency Optimization: For high-frequency testing projects, customized standards can reduce revalidation time and lower long-term costs.

Precisely matching research objectives reduces the risk of false positives or false negatives.

Standardized design ensures consistent results within laboratories and across platforms.

Tissue source, antigen concentration, or slide format (e.g., multi-tissue microarrays (TMAs)) can be adjusted based on needs.

Although initially costly, they can significantly save time and resources when applied to long-term projects.