Histosonda®

The HistoSondas® are new single stranded DNA probes for chromogenic visualization of gene expression by in situ hybridization.

The characteristics of these innovative new probes set them apart from those already on the market. The HistoSondas® consist of single stranded DNA fragments whose lengths are between 10 and 30 times greater than commercial oligo probes (the length of a HistoSonda ® is between 200 and 1800 nucleotides).

The probe DNA is targeted against RNA expressed by genes of interest and therefore the HistoSondas® are probes for the detection of gene expression. The HistoSondas® are specifically designed to be used on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections.

In comparison to most traditional probes, the HistoSondas® are :

Faster: The HistoSondas® have an incubation temperature of 62°C. The elevated thermal energy generated allows the molecules to vibrate quicker therefore taking less time to find their target even though they are situated in a very viscose dextran containing media. The use of 62°C as the incubation temperature for these probes therefore permits rapidity. HistoSonda® is the only commercial probe whose incubation period is a maximum of 60 minutes.

More specific: Due to their great lengths the HistoSondas® are more specific. It is statistically less probable to find shared sequence homology between long sequences. Therefore the chances of the probe annealing with anything other than the target sequence are greatly reduced, increasing specificity. The HistoSonda® incubation temperature of 62°C also permits that only chains with almost total sequence homology are annealed (an oligo will not anneal at this temperature).

More potent: The potency of the HistoSondas® is directly influenced by the number of labels in the DNA sequence. As the HistoSondas® have long sequences, the probability of large numbers of labeled nucleotides being incorporated is greatly increased, increasing the potency of the signal.

Simple to use: The HistoSonda® hybridization procedure has been simplified to the maximum.

Only one buffer is used during the entire technique (PBS). The use of formamide is not necessary and post-incubation washes with formamide have therefore been suppressed. The hybridization procedure can be carried out without needing to have specific knowledge of Molecular Biology. Complicated apparatus is not necessary and probe detection can be performed automatically by using any immunohistochemistry apparatus.

Easy to transport and store: The Histosondas® are supplied lyophilized in single use tubes. Transport and storage can be carried out at room temperature and they have a long storage life. Freezers, refrigerators or any special type of care are not required.