I've had great experience w/ BioGenex reagents. What they don't have you may
find w/ Vector or Dako. Controls are specified by the manufacturer, and you
should be working closely w/ your Pathologist(s). We used to send out cases
to an IHC lab, then we tried the same procedure in-house w/ our reagents.
The Pathologist should make the final "call" on all the stains. You can buy
control slides from BioGenex (I'll bet Dako sell them too). That would be a
good start, I think. 
QA - all IHC stains in our lab must be run w/ a negative (both control and
patient). Save reagents by mounting the control on the same slide as the
"unknown" slide or patient slide. One last touch is to cut all tissue fresh
each time. Stored control slides may stain lighter. With HER-2 neu this is
critical, as the staining intensity is what the pathologist is looking for.
We store all our IHC control blocks in the freezer, so they are ready when
we need them. 
Happy trails. Bruce Gapinski HT(ASCP)

		-----Original Message-----
		From:	Ryan, Genoula K Ms USAMH
[mailto:Genoula.Ryan@hbg.amedd.army.mil]
		Sent:	Tuesday, October 02, 2001 5:07 AM
		To:	'Bruce Gapinski'
		Subject:	RE: IHC

		Bruce,
		What kind of antibodies/controls did you use?  How about
QA/QC?  Is there a
		lot more one would have to do?  
		Genie

		-----Original Message-----
		From: Bruce Gapinski [mailto:BGapinski@pathgroup.com]
		Sent: Monday, October 01, 2001 4:40 PM
		To: 'Ryan, Genoula K Ms USAMH'
		Subject: RE: IHC


		I use to do IHC by hand. Low budget; Just find an old gram
stain rack. Etch
		around the tissue w/ a scribe and put your antibodies on.
Use a timer and
		that's about all you'll need. Be careful not to FLOOD the
slide w/ expensive
		reagents. Respectfully,
		Bruce Gapinski HT(ASCP)

				-----Original Message-----
				From:	Ryan, Genoula K Ms USAMH
		[mailto:Genoula.Ryan@hbg.amedd.army.mil]
				Sent:	Monday, October 01, 2001 3:36 AM
				To:	'HistoNet Server'
				Subject:	IHC

				To HistoNetters,
				Our new Chief of Pathology would like us to
do a few
		immunos.  We are not
				set up to do any.  Is there a cheap way to
do immunos?  We
		don't want to
				purchase a Ventanna or anything fancy.  Our
workload is
		small and he only
				wants the basics (i.e., S100, CK, ER/PR).
Any suggestions
		on how to get
				this up and running will be greatly
appreciated.  Also if
		there are any good
				reference books for IHC.  Thanks in advance,
				Genie K. Ryan,
				Histology Supervisor
				HMEDDAC
				DSN: 371-2653
				49-6221-172653
				Genoula.Ryan@hbg.amedd.army.mil