ERG / Transcriptional regulator ERG · IHC design guide

Design Immunohistochemistry for ERG

Plan ERG staining in paraffin sections using the nuclear and cytoplasmic tissue pattern (HPA tissue IHC). Compare positive and undetected cell populations while interpreting staining alongside the reported low consistency with RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC).

Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for ERG (IHC for ERG): expected localisation Nuclear and cytoplasmic (HPA tissue IHC), antibody M00793, validated IHC image, and IHC protocol steps
Printable ERG IHC protocol sheet — expected localisation Nuclear and cytoplasmic (HPA tissue IHC), antibody M00793, controls and protocol steps. Open the full ERG IHC guide →

ERG 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 Nuclear and cytoplasmic (HPA tissue IHC)
Staining pattern Nuclear and cytoplasmic staining in several tissues (HPA tissue IHC)
Antigen retrieval Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 HIER, 95–98 °C, 20 min (rule: nuclear antigen)
Positive control ⓘ Adrenal gland+4 more · see all
Negative control ⓘ Cerebellum+4 more · see all
Important caveats
Reasons your staining may differ from the expected pattern.
Fixation Keep fixation consistent across paraffin sections (standard IHC practice; not target-specific); Matched tissue-IHC evidence does not establish the fixation claim. Validate the specimen-specific method before use. (selected-SKU IHC image M00793)
Caveat Staining has low consistency with RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC)
Regulation Blood vessel–enhanced RNA expression (HPA tissue RNA)
Isoform / epitope 6 isoforms; epitope coverage may vary (UniProt)
Section 1

Recommended ERG IHC & IF Protocols

The catalog antibody’s IHC-P protocol is followed by four published ERG IHC methods (PMC11106607; PMC3505676; PMC3490118; PMC3672354).

Recommended immunohistochemistry (IHC-P) protocol parameters
SampleParaffin-embedded human kidney tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet M00793)
FixationImage fixative and duration unreported (datasheet M00793); 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 monoclonal (clone ACH-5) anti-ERG, 1:50 (datasheet M00793)
Primary incubationOvernight at 4 °C (standard)
DetectionHRP-polymer secondary, DAB chromogen 5–10 min (standard)
CounterstainHematoxylin, blue, dehydrate and mount (standard)
Expected resultERG-positive staining in glandular cells of adrenal gland (HPA tissue IHC: Medium). HPA tissue profile: Nuclear and cytoplasmic expression in several tissues. No signal in the no-primary control.
💡Decision noteStart with Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 HIER at 95–98 °C for 20 min (page antigen retrieval; UniProt P11308: nucleus).
Section 2

What Is the Expected ERG Staining Pattern?

ERG is a transcriptional regulator expected mainly in nuclei, with possible cytoplasmic staining (UniProt P11308; HPA subcellular). HPA reports medium staining in several cell populations, including adrenal glandular and bone marrow hematopoietic cells (HPA tissue IHC). Interpret those examples cautiously: the tissue profile is Approved but has low consistency with RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC). ERG has no transmembrane segment, so membrane staining is unexpected (UniProt P11308 topology).

What am I looking at on my slide?
Distinct nuclear staining in adrenal glandular cells or bone marrow hematopoietic cells, with limited cytoplasmic signal.This fits the reported medium tissue staining and predominant nuclear location (HPA tissue IHC; HPA subcellular). Judge the named cells and their nuclei, rather than treating every stained cell on the section as an expected positive. HPA also reports cytoplasmic expression, so limited cytoplasmic signal alone does not invalidate an otherwise convincing pattern (HPA tissue IHC).
Strong membrane staining, or diffuse cytoplasmic staining without a discernible nuclear pattern.A membrane pattern conflicts with ERG's lack of a transmembrane segment (UniProt P11308 topology). Cytoplasmic ERG is possible, but an exclusively diffuse pattern warrants scrutiny because the main supported location is nucleoplasmic (HPA subcellular). Compare cellular detail and the no-primary control before assigning that staining to ERG (standard IHC practice).
Strong staining in an unexpected cell population, including duodenal glandular or cervical squamous epithelial cells.Those named populations were not detected in the supplied tissue profile (HPA tissue IHC). Cross-reactivity or endogenous chromogenic activity may explain a discordant pattern (standard IHC practice). Treat the comparison as a warning, not proof of absence in every specimen: HPA labels its tissue profile Approved while reporting low consistency with RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC).
Diffuse color across tissue, empty spaces, or several compartments without clear cell boundaries.That distribution does not provide a convincing cell-specific ERG readout (standard IHC practice). Background can arise from detection activity, nonspecific antibody binding, or inadequate washing (standard IHC practice). Check the no-primary control and assess whether any signal remains confined to identifiable nuclei in the expected cell population (standard IHC practice).
No detectable signal in adrenal glandular cells or bone marrow hematopoietic cells.Both are reported at medium intensity, so absent staining calls for a run-level check (HPA tissue IHC). Confirm that tissue morphology and counterstain are interpretable, then check antibody application, dilution, retrieval, and detection controls against the chosen IHC protocol (standard IHC practice). HPA's low RNA–staining consistency limits any conclusion from one negative specimen (HPA tissue IHC).
💡Expected ERG appearanceCall a result convincing when identifiable nuclei in a reported positive cell population show roughly medium chromogenic staining, with possible additional cytoplasmic signal; isolated membrane color or diffuse staining across unrelated cells is suspect (HPA tissue IHC; HPA subcellular; UniProt P11308 topology; standard IHC practice).
How each factor affects the staining
Compartment used for scoringNucleus is the principal expected compartment; cytoplasm is also annotated, and supported ICC-IF localization includes cytosol (UniProt P11308; HPA subcellular). Score a clear nuclear pattern first, while recording reproducible cytoplasmic staining separately. ERG has no transmembrane segment, so a membrane-only result needs investigation (UniProt P11308 topology).
Choice of tissue and cell populationHPA reports medium staining in adrenal glandular cells and bone marrow hematopoietic cells, while duodenal glandular cells are not detected (HPA tissue IHC). These are cell-specific reference observations, not guarantees for every specimen. The Approved profile has low consistency between staining and RNA expression, which limits confidence in a single positive or negative comparison (HPA tissue IHC).
Evidence for the antibody and applicationThe supplied antibody records list HPA046598 and CAB018377 as IHC Approved and ICC Supported (HPA antibodies). That status supports using their reported patterns as references, but it does not establish a dilution, retrieval condition, or performance for a different antibody (HPA antibodies). Assess the antibody actually used with its own IHC controls (standard IHC practice).
Isoforms and antibody epitopeUniProt lists six ERG isoforms (UniProt P11308). The supplied record gives no epitope position or isoform coverage for the IHC-validated antibodies (HPA antibodies). If an observed pattern depends on a particular isoform, the available evidence cannot resolve whether the antibody recognizes it; check antibody documentation before making an isoform-specific interpretation (standard IHC practice).
IF/ICC Q&A: where should ERG appear?Mainly in the nucleoplasm, with additional cytosol, according to supported ICC-IF localization (HPA subcellular). This answers the localization question for IF/ICC; the supplied records provide no IF/ICC protocol here (HPA subcellular; HPA antibodies). Interpret this page's chromogenic tissue examples as IHC observations (HPA tissue IHC).
Why is my staining missing, weak or wrong?
SituationLikely causeNext action
Expected positive tissue is blank.A missed primary antibody, unsuitable dilution, or failed detection step can remove visible signal (standard IHC practice).Review the chosen antibody's IHC instructions and run controls, then verify each reagent and detection step (standard IHC practice). Use the reported medium-staining cells as a reference, while allowing for HPA's low RNA–staining consistency (HPA tissue IHC).
Signal is present but only diffusely cytoplasmic.ERG can occupy cytoplasm, yet the main supported ICC-IF location is nucleoplasmic; diffuse signal may also be background (UniProt P11308; HPA subcellular; standard IHC practice).Inspect nuclear detail in the expected cells and compare with a no-primary control (standard IHC practice). Report cytoplasmic staining separately rather than scoring it as a clear nuclear positive (HPA subcellular).
Unexpected cells stain strongly.Cross-reactivity or endogenous chromogenic activity can mimic a cellular positive (standard IHC practice).Compare the named cell population with HPA's tissue profile, then check a no-primary control and the detection system's endogenous-activity blocking (HPA tissue IHC; standard IHC practice). Do not infer that every cell type within a listed tissue shares its reported staining level (HPA tissue IHC).
Brown precipitate or widespread background obscures nuclei.Nonspecific binding, residual detection activity, or insufficient washing may reduce contrast (standard IHC practice).Examine the no-primary control; check blocking, wash steps, and detection exposure within the established IHC workflow (standard IHC practice). Reassess only where cellular boundaries and nuclei remain interpretable (standard IHC practice).
A presumed negative cell population shows faint color.HPA's not-detected designation is an observation in its tissue profile, and the profile has low consistency with RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC). Weak color may also reflect background (standard IHC practice).Identify the exact cell population and compare its staining with the no-primary control before calling it ERG positive (HPA tissue IHC; standard IHC practice).
A membrane-only pattern dominates the section.Membrane localization is unsupported by the supplied ERG topology and localization records (UniProt P11308 topology; HPA subcellular).Check morphology and detection controls, then compare a reported positive population for nuclear staining (standard IHC practice; HPA tissue IHC). Treat persistent membrane-only color as an unresolved staining discrepancy (UniProt P11308 topology).

Sample controls for ERG IHC & IF

🧪Run adrenal gland first and look for ERG staining in glandular cells (HPA: adrenal glandular cells, Medium). Use cerebellum as a negative tissue, focusing on cells in the granular layer (HPA: Not detected); on the adrenal slide, cells used as internal negatives should lack specific nuclear staining (UniProt P11308: nucleus).
Positive control tissue: Adrenal gland (Glandular cells, HPA Medium)
Negative control tissue: Cerebellum (HPA Not detected)
ICC-IF cell lines (HPA subcellular resource): HPA ICC-IF images show ERG in A-431, U-251MG, U2OS, MCF-7, REH, with annotated localisation: Nucleoplasm (supported) (HPA subcellular).
Technical controls: Include no-primary (secondary-only) and host-species- and immunoglobulin-class-matched isotype controls, choosing the isotype control to suit a monoclonal or polyclonal primary (standard IHC practice). Use an ERG knockout specimen as a biological negative when available, and check adrenal sections for endogenous peroxidase signal before interpreting chromogenic staining (standard IHC practice).
⚠️Feasibility: No target-specific fixation window or retrieval dependency is reported in the supplied evidence; optimize retrieval empirically for paraffin IHC (supplied ERG IHC evidence; standard IHC practice). The M00793 paraffin-section kidney caption does not state a fixative, so fixation cannot be inferred (selected M00793 tissue-IHC caption). The evidence does not establish that frozen sections or IF are easier, or identify an ERG-specific adrenal artefact; evaluate background with the controls above (supplied ERG application evidence; standard IHC practice). The selected M00793 tissue-IHC caption documents paraffin sections, but does not specify the fixative (selected-SKU IHC image M00793).

HPA tissue IHC evidence for ERG

Comprehensive Human Protein Atlas IHC scoring per tissue (reliability: Approved — Low 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
Adrenal gland Glandular cells Medium Protein (IHC) HPA →
Appendix Glandular cells Medium Protein (IHC) HPA →
Bone marrow Hematopoietic cells Medium Protein (IHC) HPA →
Breast Glandular cells Medium Protein (IHC) HPA →
Bronchus Respiratory epithelial cells Medium Protein (IHC) HPA →

Undetected expression · recommended negative controls

TissueCell typeLevelEvidenceSource
Cerebellum Cells in granular layer Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Cervix Squamous epithelial cells Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Duodenum Glandular cells Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Epididymis Glandular cells Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Esophagus Squamous epithelial cells Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Section 3

Advanced ERG IHC Tips

Troubleshoot ERG staining in paraffin section IHC by checking retrieval, cell compartment, controls, and scoring before interpreting chromogenic signal.

How should I retrieve ERG in paraffin sections when nuclear staining is weak?
Use Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 heat-induced epitope retrieval at 95–98 °C for 20 min (page retrieval rule: nuclear antigen). If nuclear signal remains weak, compare retrieval runs with the same section thickness, antibody conditions, and chromogenic detection so the retrieval change can be judged separately (standard IHC practice). Check tissue integrity and staining in an expected positive area before extending heating, since excessive retrieval can damage section morphology and complicate scoring (standard IHC practice; HPA: medium staining in kidney glomerular cells). The kidney image documents staining in a paraffin section with SKU M00793, but its caption does not report the fixative or retrieval method (catalog caption: M00793).
Could fixation explain variable ERG staining between paraffin blocks?
ERG-specific sensitivity to fixation is unknown from the supplied evidence, so record each block’s fixative and fixation duration before comparing its staining with another block (catalog caption: M00793, fixative unreported; standard IHC practice). The selected image shows a paraffin-embedded human kidney section, but its caption gives no basis for assigning a particular fixative (catalog caption: M00793). Compare blocks using the same Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 retrieval at 95–98 °C for 20 min and the same detection conditions (page retrieval rule: nuclear antigen; standard IHC practice). If signal differs, inspect morphology and run matched positive and negative controls before attributing that difference to fixation (standard IHC practice).
How should I assess ERG staining outside the nucleus?
Score nuclear and cytoplasmic staining separately: ERG is annotated in the nucleus and cytoplasm, including cytoplasmic mRNP granules, while supported imaging places it mainly in the nucleoplasm with additional cytosol localisation (UniProt P11308: subcellular location; HPA subcellular: supported locations). Use the counterstain to define nuclei and compare cytoplasmic signal with cell boundaries and nearby background on the same section (standard IHC practice). Do not classify diffuse cytoplasmic chromogen as specific solely because ERG can occur there; check negative controls and repeatable cellular patterns (UniProt P11308: cytoplasmic mRNP granules; standard IHC practice). Interpret an apparent compartment shift cautiously because HPA reports low consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC: reliability description).
Can ERG isoforms or epitope changes explain inconsistent IHC staining?
ERG has 6 listed isoforms, a PNT domain at residues 113–199, and reported phosphorylation at residues including 48, 81, and 96 (UniProt P11308: isoforms, domains, modified residues). The supplied catalog caption does not map this antibody’s epitope, so those features cannot establish which isoforms it detects or whether phosphorylation alters binding (catalog caption: M00793; UniProt P11308: modified residues). When sections disagree, compare staining after the same pH 9.0, 20 min retrieval and identical detection before proposing an epitope explanation (page retrieval rule: nuclear antigen; standard IHC practice). An isoform-specific interpretation requires independent epitope or isoform validation for the antibody being used (standard IHC practice).
How can IF help resolve ambiguous ERG chromogenic staining?
Use IF as a separate localisation check, pairing ERG with a marker for the expected cell population; blood vessel enrichment in the RNA profile and reported staining of endothelial cells provide context for choosing that marker (HPA tissue IHC: RNA specificity and cerebral cortex endothelial cells). Choose fluorophores after examining unstained tissue autofluorescence, and include single-channel controls when assessing apparent overlap (standard IF practice). ERG has no transmembrane segment and is reported in the nucleoplasm and cytosol, so permeabilise cells to access intracellular epitopes, while recognising that this antibody’s epitope location is unreported (UniProt P11308: topology; HPA subcellular: supported locations; catalog caption: M00793). The paraffin kidney caption supplies IHC evidence, not IF fixation or permeabilisation conditions (catalog caption: M00793).
What should I check when ERG chromogenic staining appears diffuse?
Inspect a no-primary control and an expected low-staining area alongside the test section to distinguish detection background from cellular signal (standard IHC practice; HPA tissue IHC: cerebellar granular-layer cells not detected). Include a peroxidase block in a peroxidase-based chromogenic workflow, then check whether residual endogenous enzyme activity contributes to colour in the control (standard IHC practice). Keep DAB development and counterstaining comparable across sections before judging whether diffuse colour reflects antibody concentration or detection conditions (standard IHC practice). ERG is reported in both nucleus and cytoplasm, so assess each compartment against its local background rather than dismissing all cytoplasmic colour automatically (UniProt P11308: subcellular location; standard IHC practice).
How should I quantify ERG staining across paraffin sections? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the scored cell population and tissue area before analysis, then report the percentage of positive cells and nuclear and cytoplasmic results separately (standard IHC practice; UniProt P11308: subcellular location). For an H-score, assign intensity 0–3 and sum percentage at each intensity multiplied by that intensity, giving a 0–300 scale (standard IHC scoring practice). If counting positive cells per mm², divide by the measured viable tissue area and state any excluded edge or necrotic regions (standard IHC practice). Keep retrieval, chromogen exposure, threshold, and cell-population definitions consistent, and account for HPA’s reported low staining-to-RNA consistency when interpreting group differences (standard IHC practice; HPA tissue IHC: reliability description).
How can I distinguish true ERG positivity from staining artefact?
Prioritise reproducible staining within recognisable cells and compare nuclear and cytoplasmic patterns with ERG’s reported locations (UniProt P11308: nucleus and cytoplasm; HPA subcellular: nucleoplasm and cytosol). Check the stained cell type against the section’s anatomy rather than treating every coloured structure as ERG-positive; HPA reports medium staining in kidney glomerular cells and blood vessel enrichment in its RNA profile (HPA tissue IHC: kidney and RNA specificity; standard IHC practice). Exclude section edges and necrotic regions when those areas show nonspecific colour, and investigate colour in a no-primary control as possible endogenous enzyme or detection background (standard IHC practice). Interpret agreement with an expected pattern cautiously because HPA reports low consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC: reliability description).
Boster reagents

Best ERG / Transcriptional regulator ERG IHC Antibodies

Catalog anti-ERG antibodies include IHC images of human kidney and tonsil and an IF image of A431 cells; all three list human, mouse, and rat reactivity (catalog images; catalog reactivity).

Real IHC data Immunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded human kidney, using ERG Antibody.
Anti-ERG Rabbit Monoclonal Antibody
Cat # M00793
Real IHC data Human tonsil was stained with anti-ERG rabbit antibody
Anti-ERG Rabbit Monoclonal Antibody
Cat # M00793-3
Real IF data IF analysis of ERG using anti-ERG antibody (A00793-1). ERG was detected in an immunocytochemical section of A431 cells. Enzyme antigen retrieval was performed using IHC enzyme antigen retrieval reagent (AR0022) for 15 mins. The cells were blocked with 10% goat serum. And then incubated with 5 μg/mL rabbit anti-ERG Antibody (A00793-1) overnight at 4°C. DyLight®488 Conjugated Goat Anti-Rabbit IgG (BA1127) was used as secondary antibody at 1:100 dilution and incubated for 30 minutes at 37°C. The section was counterstained with DAPI. Visualize using a fluorescence microscope and filter sets appropriate for the label used.
Anti-ERG Antibody ®
Cat # A00793-1

M00793 has an IHC image of paraffin-embedded human kidney, while M00793-3 has an IHC image of human tonsil with section processing unreported (M00793 image caption; M00793-3 image caption). A00793-1 has an ICC/IF image of A431 cells and lists no IHC application (A00793-1 image caption; catalog applications).

Which to pick: For tissue IHC, choose M00793 when paraffin sections match the documented kidney image; its reported dilution is 1:50, and the fixative is unreported (M00793 image caption; catalog dilution). M00793-3 is another IHC option with a human tonsil image and a 1:100–1:500 dilution range; its caption does not report section processing or fixative (M00793-3 image caption; catalog dilution). For IF/ICC, choose A00793-1 for the documented A431 example at 5 μg/ml; for mouse or rat tissue IHC, both IHC-listed SKUs claim reactivity, although their supplied IHC images show human samples (A00793-1 image caption; catalog applications and reactivity; M00793 and M00793-3 image captions).

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

References

  1. UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry P11308 (ERG_HUMAN, Transcriptional regulator ERG).
  2. Human Protein Atlas. ERG tissue IHC expression (reliability: Approved).
  3. Human Protein Atlas. ERG subcellular location (ICC-IF): Mainly localized to the nucleoplasm. In addition localized to the cytosol..
  4. Human Protein Atlas. ERG antibody validation summary (2 antibodies).
  5. The importance of histomorphological features and ERG expression in the diagnosis of malignancy in cases with atypical small acinar proliferation. Journal of pathology and translational medicine 2024 — PMC11106607.
  6. Immunohistochemistry for ERG expression as a surrogate for TMPRSS2-ERG fusion detection in prostatic adenocarcinomas. The American journal of surgical pathology 2011 — PMC3505676.
  7. ERG immunohistochemistry and clinicopathologic characteristics in Korean prostate adenocarcinoma patients. Korean journal of pathology 2012 — PMC3490118.
  8. Novel dual-color immunohistochemical methods for detecting ERG-PTEN and ERG-SPINK1 status in prostate carcinoma. Modern pathology : an official journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Inc 2013 — PMC3672354.
  9. PubMed PMID:3299708 — UniProt-cited evidence.
  10. PubMed PMID:3476934 — UniProt-cited evidence.
  11. PubMed PMID:14693372 — UniProt-cited evidence.