Question

What does in situ hybridization show?

Answer 1

Situ Hybridization (ISH)

is a technique that allows for precise localization of a specific segment of nucleic acid within a histologic section. The underlying basis of ISH is that nucleic acids, if preserved adequately within a histologic specimen, can be detected through the application of a complementary strand of nucleic acid to which a reporter molecule is attached.

Visualization of the reporter molecule allows to localize DNA or RNA sequences in a heterogeneous cell populations including tissue samples and environmental samples. Riboprobes also allow to localize and assess degree of gene expression. The technique is particularly useful in neuroscience.