post-embedding

Post-embedding is a technique of embedding in the course of immunoelectron microscopy for the primary antibodies to react with the target antigenic proteins after ultrathin sectioning. The name of “post-embedding” originates from the fact that the immune-reaction is performed after ultrathin sectioning (subsequent to resin embedding). Post-embedding has two major advantages. One is that the locations (localization) of the target proteins are precisely elucidated because the primary antibodies react with the proteins exposed on an ultra-thin section. Another is that the structures of tissues, organelles, etc., are preserved better compared with the case of pre-embedding because post-embedding requires a few steps until embedding. However, post-embedding has a major disadvantage that antigens can be lost by dehydration or can be denatured by resin embedding, thus degrading the staining efficiency.

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