[Histonet] staining mouse tissues using mouse monoclonals

[ALAN MEEKER]

Hi, I am trying immunohistochem on mouse tissues using a mouse IgG monoclonal. The target is nuclear, and I can see the signals fairly well. The problem is in background staining from the endogenous mouse antibody, especially in things like plasma cells in the lamina propria of the large intestine. I am wondering what is the best way to attenuate or eliminate this background signal. 

I tried something simple, namely pre-treating the tissue with an excess of goat anti-mouse IgG, hoping to bind/cover up most of the resident IgG before applying my primary and then HRP-anti mouse secondary. This seems not to have worked at all, perhaps because there were unused binding sites on the goat anti-mouse that bound my monoclonal primary (?).

At any rate, the simple, quick fix didn't do the trick. I have heard that there are "mouse on mouse" kits available to deal with this problem. Has anyone had any experience using these?

-Alan Meeker

Alan Meeker, PhD
Department of Pathology
Division of Genitourinary Pathology
Bunting-Blaustein Cancer Research Building  Room 153
1650 Orleans Street
Baltimore, MD 21231-1000
e-mail: ameeker <@t> mail.jhmi.edu