Immunostaining
Immunostaining, or immunohistochemical staining, is a process that can be used to determine the particular type of
disease within a cell, and is commonly used to help
diagnose cancer. Immunostaining is a technique belonging to the field of immunohistochemistry, which explores the relationship between antibodies (proteins produced by the immune system to identify and combat foreign objects) and antigens (a molecule that stimulates antibody production).
Medical professionals perform immunostaining on a sample of cancerous cells to determine the specific type of cancer. Certain indicators, known as "molecular markers," are characteristic of particular cancer types. The actual technique of immunostaining involves treating sample of cells with certain substances that react in the form of a color change if the cells contain the antibody associated with a specific disease.