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BMP1 / Bone morphogenetic protein 1 · IHC design guide
Design Immunohistochemistry for BMP1
Plan chromogenic BMP1 IHC on paraffin sections using the reported cytoplasmic tissue pattern (HPA tissue IHC). Compare high staining in colon glandular cells with undetected staining in adipose tissue adipocytes, while considering BMP1 secretion when interpreting location (HPA tissue IHC; UniProt).
Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
BMP1 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 in tissue sections (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Staining pattern | Cytoplasmic staining in most tissues (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Antigen retrieval | Citrate pH 6.0 HIER, 95–98 °C, 20 min (rule: cytoplasmic / membrane antigen) | |
| Positive control | Colon+4 more · see all | |
| Negative control | Adipose tissue+4 more · see all |
Important caveats
Reasons your staining may differ from the expected pattern.
| Fixation | Keep fixation consistent across sections. (standard IHC practice; not target-specific) | |
| Caveat | Secreted BMP1 may stain away from producer cells (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Regulation | Low tissue specificity; no regulator specified (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Isoform / epitope | 7 isoforms; precursor processing may affect epitope coverage (UniProt) |
Section 1
Recommended BMP1 IHC & IF Protocols
The catalog antibody’s IHC-P protocol is followed by four published BMP1 IHC examples covering ovarian, lung, dental and keloid samples (PMC5326928; PMC8971496; PMC6635762; PMC5466890).
| Sample | Paraffin-embedded human skin tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A02436) |
| Fixation | Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A02436); verify before use. |
| Sectioning | 4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard) |
| Deparaffinisation | Xylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard) |
| Antigen retrieval | Heat-induced epitope retrieval in citrate buffer, pH 6.0, 20 min at 95–98 °C (standard rule: cytoplasmic / membrane antigen) |
| Peroxidase block | 3% H2O2, 10 min, room temperature (standard) |
| Blocking | 10% normal serum of the secondary host, 30 min, room temperature (standard) |
| Primary antibody | Rabbit anti-BMP1, 1:50 recommended; image 1:200 (datasheet A02436) |
| Primary incubation | Overnight at 4 °C (standard) |
| Detection | HRP-polymer secondary, DAB chromogen 5–10 min (standard) |
| Counterstain | Hematoxylin, blue, dehydrate and mount (standard) |
| Expected result | BMP1-positive staining in glandular cells of colon (HPA tissue IHC: High). HPA tissue profile: Cytoplasmic expression in most tissues. No signal in the no-primary control. |
💡Decision noteStart with citrate pH 6.0 HIER at 95–98 °C for 20 min (page retrieval). Match a published protocol’s sample preparation when adapting its retrieval (PMC5326928 methods).
Section 2
What Is the Expected BMP1 Staining Pattern?
BMP1 staining is predominantly cytoplasmic across tissues, with strong signals reported in intestinal glandular cells, cardiomyocytes and placental trophoblastic cells (HPA: tissue IHC, Enhanced reliability). BMP1 also localizes to the Golgi and is secreted into extracellular space and matrix; it has no transmembrane segment (UniProt P13497: subcellular location and topology). HPA notes only medium agreement between antibody staining and RNA expression because secreted protein can accumulate away from its source (HPA: reliability description).
| Strong cytoplasmic staining in colon, duodenum or small-intestinal glandular cells; cardiomyocytes or trophoblastic cells also stain. | These are the strongest listed tissue and cell-type benchmarks (High; HPA: tissue IHC). A Golgi-associated component or extracellular signal can fit BMP1 biology, but assess it alongside tissue architecture and controls (UniProt P13497: subcellular location). |
| Staining appears exclusively nuclear or sharply restricted to the plasma membrane. | That distribution does not match the reported cytoplasmic tissue pattern or Golgi, secreted and extracellular locations; BMP1 has no transmembrane segment (HPA: tissue IHC; UniProt P13497: subcellular location and topology). Check whether the same pattern persists in controls before interpreting it as BMP1. |
| Adipocytes or squamous epithelial cells stain strongly while expected glandular cells remain weak. | HPA reports BMP1 as not detected in adipocytes from adipose tissue and breast, and in squamous epithelial cells from cervix, esophagus and oral mucosa (HPA: tissue IHC). Consider cross-reactivity or detection activity; these cell-specific comparisons cannot exclude biological variation. |
| Diffuse chromogen covers stroma and cells without a readable cell-associated pattern. | BMP1 can enter extracellular matrix, so stromal signal alone is not proof of an artifact (UniProt P13497: subcellular location and POSTN interaction). Uniform staining that obscures architecture warrants a no-primary control and review of detection background (general IHC practice). |
| No signal is visible in colon or duodenal glandular cells processed with the study sections. | That conflicts with the reported High staining in those cells (HPA: tissue IHC). Review the control slide, antibody conditions, retrieval and detection before scoring study samples negative (general IHC practice). HPA's Enhanced rating still carries medium staining-to-RNA consistency for this secreted protein (HPA: reliability description). |
💡Expected BMP1 appearanceCall a section positive when expected glandular cells, cardiomyocytes or trophoblastic cells show clear cytoplasmic staining, potentially with extracellular signal; the listed cells reach High staining (HPA: tissue IHC; UniProt P13497: subcellular location), whereas isolated nuclear or uniform tissue-wide color is suspect (general IHC interpretation).
| Tissue and cell-type benchmark | HPA reports High staining in colon, duodenum and small-intestinal glandular cells, cardiomyocytes and trophoblastic cells; several other cell types are Medium, Low or not detected (HPA: tissue IHC). Compare the relevant cell population, rather than treating an entire tissue as uniformly positive. |
| Secretion and processing | BMP1 has a signal peptide at residues 1–22, a propeptide at 23–120 and a listed mature chain at 121–986 (UniProt P13497: processing). Its Golgi and extracellular locations mean intracellular and deposited staining need different spatial interpretations (UniProt P13497: subcellular location). |
| Epitope and isoform coverage | UniProt lists 7 BMP1 isoforms and proteolytic processing (UniProt P13497: isoforms and processing). The supplied antibody record gives no epitope, so which isoforms or processed forms contribute to staining is unresolved; avoid assigning a compartment to a particular form. |
| Antibody validation | The listed antibody HPA014572 has an Enhanced IHC assessment, meaning its pattern has support from independent antibodies or orthogonal data (HPA: antibody validation). HPA separately describes medium consistency between staining and RNA expression for secreted BMP1 (HPA: reliability description). |
| IF/ICC Q: Is a specific cellular pattern established? | A: No main location or cell-line ICC-IF images are supplied; HPA summarizes BMP1 as secreted (HPA: subcellular ICC-IF). The tissue IHC pattern should not be presented as an independently confirmed IF/ICC pattern. |
| Situation | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| The known-positive glandular control is blank. | The result conflicts with reported High glandular staining in colon and duodenum (HPA: tissue IHC); the failed step cannot be identified from appearance alone. | Check that the expected cells are present, then review antibody dilution, antigen retrieval, detection reagents and run controls in order (general IHC practice). |
| Signal is very weak in a cell type listed as Low. | Low staining is reported for several populations, including parathyroid glandular cells and bronchial respiratory epithelial cells (HPA: tissue IHC). Weak staining there is a limited sensitivity check. | Evaluate a listed High cell population in the same run before changing conditions (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
| Nuclear or membrane-edge staining dominates. | This distribution departs from the cytoplasmic HPA profile and BMP1's reported Golgi, secreted and extracellular locations (HPA: tissue IHC; UniProt P13497: subcellular location). | Compare the no-primary slide and expected positive cells; reassess specificity if the unusual pattern persists with the primary antibody (general IHC practice). |
| The slide has widespread brown haze, including cells expected to be negative. | Adipocytes and several squamous epithelial populations are listed as not detected (HPA: tissue IHC). Widespread color can also reflect detection background (general IHC practice). | Inspect a no-primary control; review blocking, washes and chromogen development if it also shows haze (general IHC practice). |
| Stromal deposits stain, but nearby cells show little signal. | BMP1 is secreted into extracellular matrix, and POSTN interaction promotes its matrix deposition (UniProt P13497: subcellular location and subunit). Protein location can therefore differ from RNA location (HPA: reliability description). | Record extracellular and cellular staining separately, then compare morphology and controls before assigning the deposit to BMP1 (general IHC practice). |
| Two sections give different intensities despite similar tissue labels. | HPA levels refer to specified cell types, and its BMP1 staining has medium agreement with RNA expression (HPA: tissue IHC and reliability description). A tissue label alone does not establish matching cell composition. | Score the same identifiable cell population in both sections and check run controls before attributing the difference to BMP1 abundance (general IHC practice). |
Experiment evidence
IHC & IF images showing BMP1 staining
A02436 · IHCImmunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded human-skin, antibody was diluted at 1:200
HPA · Cerebral cortexHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Cerebral cortex. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000168487-BMP1/tissue/cerebral+cortex#imid_4316920
HPA · ColonHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Colon. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000168487-BMP1/tissue/colon#imid_4316838
HPA · LiverHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Liver. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000168487-BMP1/tissue/liver#imid_4316839
HPA · KidneyHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Kidney. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000168487-BMP1/tissue/kidney#imid_4316840
← swipe / scroll for more images →
Real IHC / IF data behind the staining-pattern expectations in this section.
Sample controls for BMP1 IHC & IF
🧪Run colon first: glandular cells should stain (HPA: High in colon glandular cells). Use adipose tissue as the negative comparator, where adipocytes are not detected (HPA: Not detected in adipocytes); on the colon slide, compare glandular staining with adjacent nonglandular cells without assuming those cells are BMP1-negative (UniProt P13497: ubiquitous, secreted and extracellular matrix localization).
Positive control tissue: Colon (Glandular cells, HPA High)
Negative control tissue: Adipose tissue (HPA Not detected)
ICC-IF cell lines (HPA subcellular resource): HPA carries no ICC-IF cell line for BMP1; derive a cell-line control from the positive tissue's cell type (Glandular cells) and confirm it by RNA or western blot first.
Technical controls: Include no-primary (secondary-only), a host-species- and clonality-matched irrelevant isotype control, and BMP1-knockout tissue as a biological specificity control (standard IHC practice). For chromogenic colon IHC, quench endogenous peroxidase and, if using biotin-based detection, block endogenous biotin (standard IHC practice).
⚠️Feasibility: A target-specific fixation window or fixation effect is unreported in the supplied evidence; the 1:200 paraffin-section skin caption does not state a fixative (selected A02436 tissue-IHC caption). Retrieval dependency is also unreported, so assess retrieval conditions with the IHC-validated antibody; the evidence gives no basis to call frozen sections or IF easier (selected A02436 tissue-IHC caption; HPA: no ICC-IF cell-line images). In colon, distinguish glandular-cell staining from extracellular staining and luminal material when scoring (HPA: High in colon glandular cells; UniProt P13497: secreted, extracellular matrix localization; standard IHC practice).
HPA tissue IHC evidence for BMP1
Comprehensive Human Protein Atlas IHC scoring per tissue (reliability: Enhanced — Medium consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression data. Secreted protein, tissue location of RNA and protein is expected to differ.). Rows are taken directly from the HPA tissue chart — click any row's HPA link to view the source.
Positive expression · recommended positive controls
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colon | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Duodenum | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Heart muscle | Cardiomyocytes | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Placenta | Trophoblastic cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Small intestine | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Undetected expression · recommended negative controls
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adipose tissue | Adipocytes | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Breast | Adipocytes | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Cervix | Squamous epithelial cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Esophagus | Squamous epithelial cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Liver | Cholangiocytes | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Section 3
Advanced BMP1 IHC Tips
Troubleshoot BMP1 staining in paraffin sections by checking retrieval, cellular and extracellular localisation, and controls before interpreting chromogenic signal (UniProt P13497; HPA tissue IHC).
How should I optimise retrieval when BMP1 staining is weak?
Start with citrate buffer at pH 6.0, heated to 95–98 °C for 20 min (page retrieval setting). If staining remains weak, compare a modest change in heating time on adjacent sections while keeping antibody dilution and detection constant (general IHC practice). Include a section with expected glandular-cell staining, such as colon, to distinguish poor retrieval from low local expression (HPA: High in colon glandular cells). Judge cellular staining alongside any extracellular signal because BMP1 occurs in the Golgi and extracellular matrix; excessive retrieval can impair morphology and make those compartments harder to distinguish (UniProt P13497 localisation; general IHC practice).
Could fixation explain weak or diffuse BMP1 staining?
BMP1-specific fixation sensitivity is unknown from the supplied evidence; the catalog image identifies paraffin-embedded human skin but does not state its fixative (catalog caption: A02436). Record the fixative, fixation duration, processing history and section age for each specimen before comparing staining intensity (general IHC practice). When a processing problem is suspected, stain adjacent sections from comparably handled material under the same citrate pH 6.0, 95–98 °C, 20 min retrieval setting (page retrieval setting; general IHC practice). Evaluate preservation of glandular-cell detail and extracellular architecture separately from signal strength, and avoid assigning a BMP1-specific fixation effect without controlled evidence (general IHC practice).
Where should convincing BMP1 staining appear in tissue sections?
Assess cytoplasmic staining together with extracellular deposition: BMP1 is associated with the Golgi and is secreted into extracellular space and matrix (UniProt P13497 localisation). Cytoplasmic expression across most tissues is reported in tissue IHC, with High staining in colon and duodenal glandular cells (HPA: tissue profile; HPA: High in colon and duodenum glandular cells). A purely sharp plasma-membrane rim is difficult to reconcile with a protein lacking a transmembrane segment, so check section edges and detection controls (UniProt P13497 topology; general IHC practice). Matrix signal need not overlap the cells producing BMP1, because secreted protein and tissue RNA can occupy different locations (HPA: reliability description).
Can this antibody distinguish BMP1 isoforms or processing states?
Do not assign an isoform from chromogenic staining alone: the record lists 7 BMP1 isoforms, while the supplied antibody caption gives no epitope sequence (UniProt P13497 isoforms; catalog caption: A02436). BMP1 has a signal peptide at residues 1–22, a propeptide at 23–120, and a reported mature chain beginning at 121 (UniProt P13497 processing). Its annotated glycosylation sites and CUB, EGF-like and protease domains provide plausible sources of epitope-dependent staining, but no specific effect is established here (UniProt P13497 features). Obtain the antibody's immunogen or epitope information before linking a staining pattern to a particular isoform or processing state (general IHC practice).
How can I check BMP1 localisation with multiplex IF?
Use IF as a separate validation experiment and compare BMP1 with a marker of the expected cell population, such as a glandular-cell marker in colon, where glandular staining is High (HPA: High in colon glandular cells; general IF practice). Select spectrally separated fluorophores and place the weaker readout in a channel with low measured tissue autofluorescence; include single-stain controls (general IF practice). For an intracellular Golgi epitope, test gentle permeabilisation, whereas extracellular BMP1 should be assessed with conditions that preserve matrix signal; the antibody's epitope is unspecified (UniProt P13497 localisation; catalog caption: A02436; general IF practice). Interpret colocalisation cautiously because secreted BMP1 can extend beyond its source cell (UniProt P13497 localisation).
How do I distinguish BMP1 staining from chromogenic background?
Compare the test section with a no-primary control and inspect whether colour follows tissue edges, damaged regions or the intended cellular structures (general IHC practice). Use an appropriate peroxidase block before DAB detection, and optimise blocking and washes if diffuse colour persists (general IHC practice). Titrate the catalog antibody around its reported 1:200 dilution on paraffin-embedded human skin, keeping retrieval and detection fixed during each comparison (catalog caption: A02436; general IHC practice). Retain extracellular staining only when it has reproducible tissue structure and exceeds matched control signal, since BMP1 is secreted into extracellular matrix (UniProt P13497 localisation; general IHC practice).
How should I score BMP1 when cells and matrix both stain? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define cellular and extracellular compartments before scoring, because BMP1 has both Golgi-associated and secreted matrix locations (UniProt P13497 localisation). For cells, report the percentage positive and an H-score based on intensity categories 0–3; specify the eligible cell population and count comparable fields (general IHC practice). For matrix, measure DAB-positive area or optical density per mm² of viable tissue, using the same colour threshold and acquisition settings throughout (general IHC practice). Normalise cellular scores to eligible cells and matrix scores to viable tissue area, then report the compartments separately so abundant stroma does not inflate a cell-based result (general IHC practice).
What would make a BMP1-positive result credible?
Look for reproducible cytoplasmic and plausible extracellular signal, consistent with BMP1's Golgi and secreted matrix localisation (UniProt P13497 localisation). High glandular-cell staining in colon or duodenum can support a positive control, while absent staining in adipocytes or certain squamous epithelial cells offers a useful comparison (HPA: High in colon and duodenum glandular cells; HPA: Not detected in adipose adipocytes and esophageal squamous epithelial cells). Treat an isolated membrane rim, edge-only colour or staining confined to necrosis as suspect; compare with a no-primary control and preserved tissue morphology (UniProt P13497 topology; general IHC practice). Exclude residual endogenous peroxidase before interpreting DAB colour as BMP1, and remember that secreted protein need not coincide with local RNA expression (general IHC practice; HPA: reliability description).
Boster reagents
Best BMP1 / Bone morphogenetic protein 1 IHC Antibodies
A02436 has a paraffin-section IHC image from human skin (catalog: IHC image caption), lists IF without an IF image (catalog: applications and IF image alts), and lists human, mouse, and rat reactivity (catalog: reactivity).
Real IHC data
Anti-BMP-1 Antibody
Cat # A02436
A02436 will render with an IHC image of paraffin-embedded human skin, stained at 1:200 (catalog: IHC image caption). It is listed for IHC and IF in human, mouse, and rat, but has no supplied IF image (catalog: applications, reactivity, and IF image alts).
Which to pick: Choose A02436 for paraffin-section tissue IHC; its own image documents human skin, while the fixative is unreported (catalog: IHC image caption). For IF, A02436 is listed as applicable, but no IF image or ICC validation is supplied (catalog: applications and IF image alts). For work across human, mouse, and rat, A02436 is the listed polyclonal option; those species are catalog reactivity claims, while its supplied IHC image shows human tissue only (catalog: dilution_raw, reactivity, and IHC image caption).
Each figure is that product's own IHC / IF validation image from its datasheet.
References
- UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry P13497 (BMP1_HUMAN, Bone morphogenetic protein 1).
- Human Protein Atlas. BMP1 tissue IHC expression (reliability: Enhanced).
- Human Protein Atlas. BMP1 subcellular location (ICC-IF): Secreted.
- Human Protein Atlas. BMP1 antibody validation summary (1 antibodies).
- Bone morphogenetic protein 1 is expressed in porcine ovarian follicles and promotes oocyte maturation and early embryonic development. The Journal of veterinary medical science 2017 — PMC5326928.
- BMP1 is not required for lung fibrosis in mice. Scientific reports 2022 — PMC8971496.
- Inactivation of bone morphogenetic protein 1 (Bmp1) and tolloid-like 1 (Tll1) in cells expressing type I collagen leads to dental and periodontal defects in mice. Journal of molecular histology 2017 — PMC6635762.
- Aberrant connective tissue differentiation towards cartilage and bone underlies human keloids in African Americans. Experimental dermatology 2017 — PMC5466890.
- PubMed PMID:8643539 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:3201241 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:9500680 — UniProt-cited evidence.
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for BMP1 (Bone morphogenetic protein 1). Expected localisation Cytoplasmic staining in tissue sections (HPA tissue IHC). Antigen retrieval: Citrate pH 6.0 HIER, 95–98 °C, 20 min (rule: cytoplasmic / membrane antigen). Validated IHC antibody: A02436 at 1:50 recommended; image 1:200 (the product's own IHC validation image is shown). Controls (HPA): positive Colon (Glandular cells); negative Adipose tissue. IHC workflow; specimen preparation unspecified. Protocol steps: 1. Sample: Paraffin-embedded human skin tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A02436); 2. Fixation: Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A02436); verify before use.; 3. Sectioning: 4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard); 4. Deparaffinisation: Xylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard); 5. Antigen retrieval: Heat-induced epitope retrieval in citrate buffer, pH 6.0 , 20 min at 95–98 °C…; 6. Peroxidase block: 3% H2O2, 10 min , room temperature (standard); 7. Blocking: 10% normal serum of the secondary host, 30 min , room temperature (standard); 8. Primary antibody: Rabbit anti-BMP1, 1:50 recommended; image 1:200 (datasheet A02436); 9. Primary incubation: Overnight at 4 °C (standard). Watch for: Fixation: Keep fixation consistent across sections. (standard IHC practice; not target-specific); Caveat: Secreted BMP1 may stain away from producer cells (HPA tissue IHC); Isoform / epitope: 7 isoforms; precursor processing may affect epitope coverage (UniProt); Regulation: Low tissue specificity; no regulator specified (HPA tissue IHC). Evidence: UniProt P13497, HPA tissue IHC · Enhanced, HPA ICC-IF · Secreted, Datasheet A02436, PMC5326928, PMC8971496. QR code links to https://www.bosterbio.com/bosterbio-gene-info-cards/BMP1/immunohistochemistry-ihc-guide.