BCL2L13 / Bcl-2-like protein 13 · IHC design guide

Design Immunohistochemistry for BCL2L13

Use heart cardiomyocytes as a positive reference and adipocytes as a negative reference for BCL2L13 chromogenic IHC (HPA tissue IHC). This guide covers FFPE handling and cytoplasmic staining, with cautious interpretation because tissue staining reliability is uncertain (HPA tissue IHC).

Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for BCL2L13 (IHC for BCL2L13): expected localisation Cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC); mitochondrial membrane and nucleus annotated (UniProt), antibody A06151, validated IHC image, and IHC protocol steps
Printable BCL2L13 IHC protocol sheet — expected localisation Cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC); mitochondrial membrane and nucleus annotated (UniProt), antibody A06151, controls and protocol steps. Open the full BCL2L13 IHC guide →

BCL2L13 Immunohistochemistry Experimental Design Guide

Expected localisation, validated protocols, controls and antibodies — the at-a-glance facts below, then the full design guide.

Must know before staining
Expected localisation Cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC); mitochondrial membrane and nucleus annotated (UniProt)
Staining pattern Selective cytoplasmic staining in exocrine pancreas, hepatocytes and muscle (HPA tissue IHC)
Antigen retrieval Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 HIER, 95–98 °C, 20 min (rule: nuclear antigen)
Positive control ⓘ Bone marrow+4 more · see all
Negative control ⓘ Adipose tissue+4 more · see all
Important caveats
Reasons your staining may differ from the expected pattern.
Fixation Matched tissue-IHC evidence does not establish the fixation claim. Validate the specimen-specific method before use. (selected-SKU IHC image A06151)
Caveat Tissue staining has uncertain reliability and medium RNA concordance (HPA tissue IHC)
Regulation Highest expression in heart, placenta and pancreas (UniProt)
Isoform / epitope 3 isoforms; one intact chain; epitope position and membrane sidedness unreported (UniProt)
Section 1

Recommended BCL2L13 IHC & IF Protocols

The catalog antibody’s IHC-P protocol (datasheet) is presented alongside one published BCL2L13 IHC method using paraffin-embedded renal tissue (PMC8247248).

Recommended immunohistochemistry (IHC-P) protocol parameters
SampleTissue sections; selected-image fixative not specified (standard IHC workflow)
FixationImage fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A06151); verify before use.
Sectioning4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard)
DeparaffinisationXylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard)
Antigen retrievalHeat-induced epitope retrieval in Tris-EDTA buffer, pH 9.0, 20 min at 95–98 °C (standard rule: nuclear antigen)
Peroxidase block3% H2O2, 10 min, room temperature (standard)
Blocking10% normal serum of the secondary host, 30 min, room temperature (standard)
Primary antibodyRabbit anti-BCL2L13, 10 μg/mL (datasheet A06151)
Primary incubationOvernight at 4 °C (standard)
DetectionHRP-polymer secondary, DAB chromogen 5–10 min (standard)
CounterstainHematoxylin, blue, dehydrate and mount (standard)
Expected resultBCL2L13-positive staining in hematopoietic cells of bone marrow (HPA tissue IHC: Medium). HPA tissue profile: Selective cytoplasmic expression in salivary glands, exocrine pancreas, hepatocytes, muscle tissues and a subsets of lymphoid tissues. No signal in the no-primary control.
💡Decision noteStart with Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 retrieval at 95–98 °C for 20 min (page retrieval rule); the published method does not specify retrieval (PMC8247248).
Section 2

What Is the Expected BCL2L13 Staining Pattern?

BCL2L13 is annotated at the mitochondrial membrane and nucleus, with a transmembrane segment at residues 460–480 (UniProt Q9BXK5 topology). In paraffin IHC, expect cytoplasmic staining in selected cells, including cardiomyocytes and skeletal myocytes (HPA: tissue IHC, Medium). Interpret that pattern cautiously: HPA rates the tissue staining reliability Uncertain because antibody staining and RNA expression show medium consistency (HPA: tissue IHC reliability).

What am I looking at on my slide?
Cytoplasmic staining in cardiomyocytes or skeletal myocytes, with neighboring structures remaining distinguishable.This fits the reported Medium staining in those cells (HPA: tissue IHC). Score intensity in the named cell population, not across the entire section (general IHC practice). Chromogenic IHC alone does not establish that each deposit sits on a mitochondrion; mitochondrial localization has separate ICC-IF support (HPA: subcellular ICC-IF).
Strong, widespread nuclear staining with little cytoplasmic signal.This departs from HPA’s selective cytoplasmic IHC profile (HPA: tissue IHC). UniProt also annotates the nucleus, so nuclear signal alone cannot be declared impossible (UniProt Q9BXK5: subcellular location). Review morphology and controls before assigning it to BCL2L13; the supplied IHC evidence does not establish a nuclear tissue pattern (HPA: tissue IHC).
Prominent staining in adipocytes where the intended positive cells are absent or faint.HPA reports adipocytes as Not detected, making this a discordant cell-type pattern (HPA: adipose tissue IHC). Check antibody specificity and endogenous detection activity as possible explanations (general IHC practice). A positive chromogen deposit in an unexpected cell is not, by itself, evidence of BCL2L13 expression (general IHC practice).
Diffuse color across cells, stroma, and empty areas, obscuring cell boundaries.This cannot be scored reliably as selective cytoplasmic staining (HPA: tissue IHC profile; general IHC practice). Uneven washing, excess antibody or detection background can produce diffuse signal (general IHC practice). Compare the background with the no-primary control before interpreting faint cellular color (general IHC practice).
No visible signal in a section containing identifiable cardiomyocytes or skeletal myocytes.Both cell types have reported Medium staining, so their absence of signal warrants a run-level check (HPA: heart muscle and skeletal muscle IHC). HPA rates its tissue IHC evidence Uncertain; one negative run cannot settle biological absence (HPA: tissue IHC reliability). Confirm that the cells and controls are present before changing the interpretation (general IHC practice).
💡Expected BCL2L13 appearanceCall a positive IHC result when selected cardiomyocytes or skeletal myocytes show discernible cytoplasmic staining around Medium intensity (HPA: tissue IHC); broad diffuse color or dominant adipocyte staining is discordant (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC practice).
How each factor affects the staining
Tissue and cell selectionHPA reports Medium staining in cardiomyocytes, skeletal myocytes, smooth muscle cells, and several other listed populations, while adipocytes are Not detected (HPA: tissue IHC). Choose a control by its identified cell type; a mixed-tissue average can hide the expected selective pattern (general IHC practice).
Strength of IHC evidenceThe overall tissue IHC reliability is Uncertain, with medium consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression (HPA: tissue IHC reliability). Both listed antibodies with IHC status are Uncertain; ICC approval does not upgrade their IHC status (HPA: antibody validation). Treat a new tissue pattern as provisional until controls support it (general IHC practice).
Topology and epitope interpretationUniProt annotates a mitochondrial membrane protein with one transmembrane segment at residues 460–480 (UniProt Q9BXK5 topology). The supplied record gives no antibody epitope location, so topology cannot predict which retrieval condition will expose the epitope in paraffin sections (UniProt Q9BXK5 topology; general IHC practice).
Isoforms and processingUniProt lists 3 isoforms and one annotated chain spanning residues 1–485, with no signal peptide or propeptide (UniProt Q9BXK5: isoforms and processing). Without an antibody epitope map, these entries cannot establish which isoforms contribute to IHC staining or imply a cleavage-specific staining pattern (UniProt Q9BXK5; general IHC practice).
IF/ICC: What pattern is expected?Look for mitochondrial localization in cultured cells; HPA describes mitochondria as the enhanced main location and lists A-431, HaCaT, MCF-7, and U2OS ICC-IF images (HPA: subcellular ICC-IF). The listed ICC-IF antibodies are Approved, a separate validation designation from tissue IHC reliability (HPA: antibody validation).
Why is my staining missing, weak or wrong?
SituationLikely causeNext action
Cytoplasmic staining is weak or absent in a chosen positive section.The chosen field may contain few of the cell types with reported staining, or the IHC run may have low sensitivity (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC practice).Find intact cardiomyocytes or skeletal myocytes first; then check the run control, antibody dilution, retrieval settings, and detection steps according to the validated IHC procedure (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC practice).
Color appears broadly in adipocytes or another population reported as Not detected.The pattern conflicts with HPA’s cell-level observation; nonspecific binding or endogenous detection activity are possible (HPA: adipose tissue IHC; general IHC practice).Compare a no-primary control and an expected positive cell population on the same run; address blocking or detection background before reporting new expression (general IHC practice; HPA: tissue IHC).
Most of the section has diffuse chromogen with poor cellular detail.Background from concentrated reagents, insufficient washing, or detection chemistry can mask a selective pattern (general IHC practice; HPA: tissue IHC profile).Inspect the no-primary control, washing, and reagent dilution; score only deposits that resolve to identifiable cells after background is controlled (general IHC practice).
Nuclei dominate the stain while expected cytoplasm is faint.HPA describes selective cytoplasmic tissue IHC, although UniProt also lists the nucleus; the supplied evidence cannot resolve the discrepancy alone (HPA: tissue IHC; UniProt Q9BXK5: subcellular location).Review the positive-tissue control and no-primary control, then record nuclear and cytoplasmic staining separately rather than calling the nuclear result confirmed (general IHC practice; HPA: tissue IHC).
Two antibodies give different tissue patterns.The listed IHC results are Uncertain, so disagreement needs investigation at the cell level (HPA: antibody validation and tissue IHC reliability).Compare the same tissue and cell types under each antibody’s validated IHC conditions; document concordant and discordant compartments without treating ICC approval as IHC confirmation (HPA: antibody validation; general IHC practice).
The IHC image looks diffuse, but ICC-IF shows discrete mitochondrial signal.HPA reports cytoplasmic tissue IHC and mitochondrial ICC-IF localization; the two preparations and detection readouts resolve localization differently (HPA: tissue IHC and subcellular ICC-IF; general IHC practice).Judge paraffin IHC against its selective cell-level cytoplasmic pattern and IF/ICC against mitochondrial localization; keep the modality and its validation status attached to each conclusion (HPA: tissue IHC, subcellular ICC-IF, and antibody validation).

Sample controls for BCL2L13 IHC & IF

🧪Run heart muscle first: cardiomyocytes should stain (HPA: Medium in cardiomyocytes). Run adipose tissue as the negative comparator (HPA: Not detected in adipocytes); use cells without visible staining on the heart slide as internal background comparators, without assuming they lack BCL2L13 (UniProt: ubiquitous expression).
Positive control tissue: Bone marrow (Hematopoietic cells, HPA Medium)
Negative control tissue: Adipose tissue (HPA Not detected)
ICC-IF cell lines (HPA subcellular resource): HPA ICC-IF images show BCL2L13 in A-431, HaCaT, MCF-7, U2OS, with annotated localisation: Mitochondria (enhanced) (HPA subcellular).
Technical controls: Include a no-primary, secondary-only control; an isotype control matched to the primary antibody’s host species and clonality; and, if available, a BCL2L13 knockout specimen or validated immunogen-peptide block (standard IHC practice). Quench endogenous peroxidase in heart sections before chromogenic detection (standard chromogenic IHC practice).
⚠️Feasibility: No target-specific fixation window or retrieval dependence is reported, and the selected A06151 heart IHC caption does not state a fixative (selected tissue-IHC caption). The supplied evidence does not establish whether frozen sections or IF/ICC are easier; optimize retrieval empirically for paraffin IHC (standard IHC practice). In heart sections, distinguish specific staining from possible cardiomyocyte pigment; IF/ICC also requires an autofluorescence control (standard IHC/IF practice).

HPA tissue IHC evidence for BCL2L13

Comprehensive Human Protein Atlas IHC scoring per tissue (reliability: Uncertain — Medium consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression data.). Rows are taken directly from the HPA tissue chart — click any row's HPA link to view the source.

Positive expression · recommended positive controls

TissueCell typeLevelEvidenceSource
Bone marrow Hematopoietic cells Medium Protein (IHC) HPA →
Breast Myoepithelial cells Medium Protein (IHC) HPA →
Cerebral cortex Glial cells Medium Protein (IHC) HPA →
Heart muscle Cardiomyocytes Medium Protein (IHC) HPA →
Lymph node Non-germinal center cells Medium Protein (IHC) HPA →

Undetected expression · recommended negative controls

TissueCell typeLevelEvidenceSource
Adipose tissue Adipocytes Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Adrenal gland Glandular cells Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Bronchus Respiratory epithelial cells Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Caudate Glial cells Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Cerebellum Cells in granular layer Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Section 3

Advanced BCL2L13 IHC Tips

Troubleshoot BCL2L13 staining by checking retrieval, compartment pattern and cell level controls before comparing chromogenic signal across paraffin sections.

What retrieval conditions should I try when BCL2L13 staining is weak?
Start with Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 heat-induced retrieval at 95–98 °C for 20 min (page retrieval setting). If staining is weak, compare a shorter heating time on adjacent sections while holding the antibody dilution and detection conditions constant (standard IHC practice). Let sections cool in retrieval buffer, then inspect morphology alongside signal so stronger staining does not mask tissue damage (standard IHC practice). Include a heart section as a comparator because cardiomyocytes show medium staining in the tissue profile (HPA tissue IHC: heart muscle). Record retrieval conditions for every run; the supplied heart antibody caption does not report a retrieval method (selected A06151 tissue-IHC caption).
Could fixation explain weak or uneven BCL2L13 staining?
Target-specific fixation sensitivity is unknown because no BCL2L13 fixation experiment is supplied (evidence payload: no fixation comparison). The heart image caption also leaves its fixative unstated, so its staining cannot establish an optimal fixation condition (selected A06151 tissue-IHC caption). For paraffin IHC, compare sections with documented fixation and processing histories, keeping retrieval at Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 and 95–98 °C for 20 min initially (page retrieval setting; standard IHC practice). Check whether patchy signal tracks folds, poor tissue preservation or section edges before changing antibody concentration (standard IHC practice). Report fixation as an experimental variable rather than assigning a BCL2L13-specific effect without direct evidence.
Where should convincing BCL2L13 staining appear in a tissue section?
Look primarily for a cytoplasmic pattern in appropriate cells, while remembering that chromogenic IHC cannot resolve individual mitochondria reliably (HPA tissue IHC: selective cytoplasmic expression; standard IHC practice). A mitochondrial distribution is supported by the subcellular IF profile, and UniProt also lists the nucleus (HPA subcellular: mitochondria; UniProt Q9BXK5: subcellular location). The predicted transmembrane segment spans residues 460–480, which supports membrane association but does not specify the appearance of a chromogenic deposit (UniProt Q9BXK5: topology). Compare cardiomyocytes with nearby structures on the same section because heart muscle cardiomyocytes have medium reported staining (HPA tissue IHC: heart muscle). Treat diffuse extracellular colour or isolated section-edge staining as a technical concern (standard IHC practice).
How could epitope placement affect staining across BCL2L13 isoforms?
BCL2L13 has 3 listed isoforms, so first check the catalog antibody's stated immunogen against their sequences before interpreting differences in staining (UniProt Q9BXK5: isoforms; standard IHC practice). The supplied evidence does not locate this antibody's epitope, leaving isoform coverage undetermined (evidence payload: no epitope mapping). A transmembrane segment at residues 460–480 may matter when planning access to a mapped epitope, but topology alone cannot establish which isoform is detected (UniProt Q9BXK5: topology; standard IHC practice). Report the antibody identifier, retrieval and scoring criteria with each comparison (standard IHC practice). Avoid assigning a staining difference to a particular isoform without sequence or orthogonal evidence.
How should I investigate BCL2L13 localisation with IF alongside this IHC assay?
Treat IF as a separate localisation experiment and include a marker for the expected cell type when comparing its signal with tissue IHC (standard IF practice; HPA tissue IHC: cell-specific staining). Choose spectrally separated fluorophores after checking tissue autofluorescence in an unstained control, particularly when the BCL2L13 channel is dim (standard IF practice). HPA reports mitochondrial localisation from IF images in 4 listed cell lines, but that observation does not establish the catalog antibody's IF performance (HPA subcellular: mitochondria and cell-line images). For a mapped epitope, adjust permeabilisation to the side of the membrane that contains it; its side is unspecified here (UniProt Q9BXK5: transmembrane segment; evidence payload: no epitope mapping).
How can I distinguish BCL2L13 signal from chromogenic background?
Run a no-primary control through the same peroxidase block and DAB detection steps to assess detection-system colour (standard chromogenic IHC practice). Check whether pigment or precipitate remains in that control, and compare its distribution with the test section before altering the primary antibody (standard IHC practice). The selected heart image used 10 µg/mL, but its caption does not establish a working concentration for every tissue or staining system (selected A06151 tissue-IHC caption). Titrate the primary antibody while holding retrieval at Tris-EDTA pH 9.0, 95–98 °C for 20 min, then reassess signal against background (page retrieval setting; standard IHC practice). Document endogenous peroxidase blocking because enzyme-derived colour can mimic positive staining (standard IHC practice).
How should I score BCL2L13 staining across sections? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the cell population and compartment before scoring; HPA describes selective cytoplasmic tissue expression, while its overall tissue-IHC reliability is uncertain (HPA tissue IHC: profile and reliability). For chromogenic sections, record the percentage of positive target cells and an intensity-based H-score using the same thresholds across the comparison (standard IHC practice). Normalise positive counts to the number of evaluable cells in that population, or report positive-cell density per mm² of viable tissue (standard IHC practice). Exclude folds, necrosis and section edges using criteria set before scoring (standard IHC practice). Keep retrieval, exposure to DAB and counterstain consistent across batches, and use a shared reference section to monitor drift (standard IHC practice).
What would make apparent BCL2L13 positivity questionable?
A plausible result follows the sampled cell population and predominantly cytoplasmic pattern reported for tissue IHC; HPA rates the tissue pattern as uncertain overall (HPA tissue IHC: profile and reliability). Compare cardiomyocytes, reported at medium staining, with adipocytes, reported as not detected, only when those cells are present and evaluable in the study (HPA tissue IHC: heart muscle and adipose tissue). Strong extracellular colour, section-edge enhancement or staining confined to necrotic areas warrants review as artefact (standard IHC practice). A dominant nuclear pattern needs independent support because UniProt lists a nuclear location whereas the tissue-IHC profile is cytoplasmic (UniProt Q9BXK5: subcellular location; HPA tissue IHC: profile). Check the no-primary control for endogenous enzyme signal before calling faint DAB positive (standard IHC practice).
Boster reagents

Best BCL2L13 / Bcl-2-like protein 13 IHC Antibodies

The IHC-validated antibody has a human heart tissue image, and its IF image shows human heart cells (catalog: A06151 image captions). Human, mouse and rat reactivity is listed (catalog: A06151).

Real IHC data Immunohistochemistry of Bcl-rambo in human heart tissue with Bcl-rambo antibody at 10 μg/mL.
Anti-Bcl-rambo BCL2L13 Antibody
Cat # A06151

A06151 is the only SKU with a rendered card; its IHC image shows human heart tissue at 10 μg/mL (catalog: A06151 IHC image caption). Its IF image shows human heart cells at 20 μg/mL (catalog: A06151 IF image caption).

Which to pick: For tissue IHC, choose A06151: IHC-P is listed and its image shows human heart tissue; the image caption does not report the fixative (catalog: A06151 applications and IHC image caption). For IF/ICC, choose A06151 because IF is listed and imaged in human heart cells; IF is not listed for A06151-1 (catalog: A06151 and A06151-1 applications; A06151 IF image caption). Both SKUs list human, mouse and rat reactivity, but only A06151 has an IHC image in the payload; A06151-1 is described as polyclonal, while A06151 has no reported clone or clonality (catalog: reactivity, image captions, dilution_raw and clone fields).

Each figure is that product's own IHC / IF validation image from its datasheet.

References

  1. UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry Q9BXK5 (B2L13_HUMAN, Bcl-2-like protein 13).
  2. Human Protein Atlas. BCL2L13 tissue IHC expression (reliability: Uncertain).
  3. Human Protein Atlas. BCL2L13 subcellular location (ICC-IF): Localized to the mitochondria..
  4. Human Protein Atlas. BCL2L13 antibody validation summary (3 antibodies).
  5. BCL2L13 promotes mitophagy through DNM1L-mediated mitochondrial fission in glioblastoma. Cell death & disease 2023 — PMC10475114.
  6. Down-regulation of BCL2L13 renders poor prognosis in clear cell and papillary renal cell carcinoma. Cancer cell international 2021 — PMC8247248.
  7. BCL2L13 at endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contact sites regulates calcium homeostasis to maintain skeletal muscle function. iScience 2024 — PMC11340602.
  8. PubMed PMID:11262395 — UniProt-cited evidence.
  9. PubMed PMID:11381032 — UniProt-cited evidence.
  10. PubMed PMID:15461802 — UniProt-cited evidence.