GPR37L1 / G protein-coupled receptor 37-like 1 · IHC design guide

Design Immunohistochemistry for GPR37L1

Plan paraffin-section GPR37L1 IHC around selective CNS cytoplasmic staining and cerebellar molecular-layer processes (HPA tissue IHC). Start the catalog antibody at 1:100–1:300 (datasheet: A11679-1), and consider adipocytes in adipose tissue as a negative reference (HPA tissue IHC).

Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for GPR37L1 (IHC for GPR37L1): expected localisation CNS cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC); cell and cilium membrane (UniProt), antibody A11679-1, validated IHC image, and IHC protocol steps
Printable GPR37L1 IHC protocol sheet — expected localisation CNS cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC); cell and cilium membrane (UniProt), antibody A11679-1, controls and protocol steps. Open the full GPR37L1 IHC guide →

GPR37L1 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 CNS cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC); cell and cilium membrane (UniProt)
Staining pattern Selective CNS cytoplasm; cerebellar molecular-layer processes (HPA tissue IHC)
Antigen retrieval Citrate pH 6.0 HIER, 95–98 °C, 20 min (rule: cytoplasmic / membrane antigen)
Positive control ⓘ Cerebellum+1 more · see all
Negative control ⓘ Adipose tissue+4 more · see all
Important caveats
Reasons your staining may differ from the expected pattern.
Fixation Keep formalin fixation consistent across 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 A11679-1)
Caveat Testis spermatids stain despite brain-enriched RNA (HPA tissue IHC)
Regulation Staining regulation is not established (UniProt)
Isoform / epitope 0 isoforms annotated; epitope side matters across the seven-transmembrane topology (UniProt)
Section 1

Recommended GPR37L1 IHC & IF Protocols

The catalog antibody’s IHC-P protocol is accompanied by 3 published GPR37L1 chromogenic IHC protocols (PMC7707515; PMC8357083; PMC7870391).

Recommended immunohistochemistry (IHC-P) protocol parameters
SampleParaffin-embedded human brain tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A11679-1)
FixationImage fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A11679-1); verify before use.
Sectioning4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard)
DeparaffinisationXylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard)
Antigen retrievalHeat-induced epitope retrieval in citrate buffer, pH 6.0, 20 min at 95–98 °C (standard rule: cytoplasmic / membrane antigen)
Peroxidase block3% H2O2, 10 min, room temperature (standard)
Blocking10% normal serum of the secondary host, 30 min, room temperature (standard)
Primary antibodyRabbit anti-GPR37L1, 1:100-1:300 (datasheet A11679-1)
Primary incubationOvernight at 4 °C (standard)
DetectionHRP-polymer secondary, DAB chromogen 5–10 min (standard)
CounterstainHematoxylin, blue, dehydrate and mount (standard)
Expected resultGPR37L1-positive staining in processes in molecular layer of cerebellum (HPA tissue IHC: Medium). HPA tissue profile: Selective cytoplasmic expression in CNS. No signal in the no-primary control.
💡Decision noteStart with citrate pH 6.0 retrieval at 95–98 °C for 20 min (page retrieval rule); consider Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 if needed (PMC8357083).
Section 2

What Is the Expected GPR37L1 Staining Pattern?

GPR37L1 is a seven-pass receptor assigned to the cell membrane and cilium membrane, including the basal membrane of Bergmann glial primary cilia (UniProt O60883: topology and subcellular location). In paraffin-section IHC, expect selective cytoplasmic staining in the CNS, especially cerebellar molecular-layer processes (HPA tissue IHC: selective cytoplasmic CNS pattern; cerebellum, medium). HPA rates its tissue IHC reliability Enhanced, with medium consistency between antibody staining and RNA data (HPA tissue IHC: reliability).

What am I looking at on my slide?
Molecular-layer processes stain in cerebellum, with little staining outside the expected structures.This matches the reported medium signal in cerebellar molecular-layer processes and the selective cytoplasmic CNS profile (HPA tissue IHC: cerebellum, medium; CNS profile). Interpret the slide by its tissue pattern: UniProt's membrane and cilium assignment does not require a resolvable membrane outline in chromogenic sections (UniProt O60883: subcellular location).
Strong nuclear staining dominates the cerebellar section.Treat this as a compartment mismatch requiring validation against the reported cytoplasmic tissue pattern (HPA tissue IHC: selective cytoplasmic CNS profile). Check a matched negative control and the expected molecular-layer process staining before scoring it as GPR37L1; nuclear colour alone does not establish target localisation (general IHC practice).
Prominent staining appears in an unexpected cell population, such as adipocytes.Adipocytes were not detected in the listed adipose-tissue and breast observations (HPA tissue IHC: adipose tissue and breast). An unexpected positive population may reflect antibody cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity; compare the same cell population in controls and examine whether the expected cerebellar pattern is present (general IHC practice).
Colour spreads broadly across cells and tissue without a discernible process pattern.Diffuse background makes the selective CNS pattern difficult to judge (HPA tissue IHC: CNS profile; cerebellar processes, medium). Inspect the no-primary control for detection background, then review blocking, wash stringency and primary-antibody concentration as general chromogenic IHC variables (general IHC practice). Do not score uniform haze as a positive compartment.
No staining appears in a cerebellar molecular layer used as a positive comparison.This conflicts with the reported medium staining of molecular-layer processes (HPA tissue IHC: cerebellum, medium). First verify that the layer is present on the section and that detection controls worked; then review the antibody's validated IHC-P conditions. A blank section alone cannot distinguish weak detection from absent antigen (general IHC practice).
💡Expected GPR37L1 appearanceCall a section positive when cerebellar molecular-layer processes show discernible, approximately medium cytoplasmic chromogenic signal (HPA tissue IHC: cerebellum, medium; selective cytoplasmic CNS profile); diffuse haze or dominant nuclear colour without that process pattern is suspect (general IHC practice).
How each factor affects the staining
Tissue and cell selectionUse cerebellar molecular-layer processes as the principal positive reference; round or early spermatids in testis are another reported medium-staining population (HPA tissue IHC: cerebellum and testis, medium). The listed neuronal cells in cerebral cortex and glial cells in hippocampus and caudate have low staining, so faint signal there needs cautious scoring (HPA tissue IHC: low observations).
Topology and antibody epitopeGPR37L1 has seven transmembrane segments, extracellular and cytoplasmic regions, and an annotated signal peptide at residues 1–25 (UniProt O60883: topology and processing). The payload does not identify the antibody epitope. Use the antibody's own IHC-P instructions when choosing retrieval conditions; topology alone cannot specify retrieval or predict epitope accessibility (general IHC practice).
Strength of the tissue evidenceThe tissue IHC profile is rated Enhanced, while antibody staining and RNA expression show medium consistency (HPA tissue IHC: reliability). The listed IHC Enhanced status belongs to HPA064454; it does not automatically validate another antibody (HPA antibodies: HPA064454). Judge an experiment against its own controls and the reported cell pattern (general IHC practice).
IF/ICC Q: Should nuclear fluorescence count as the expected IHC result?A: No. HPA reports nucleoplasm as uncertain in ICC-IF, cell junctions as approved, and plasma membrane as supported; its paraffin-section tissue profile is selective cytoplasmic staining in the CNS (HPA subcellular ICC-IF; HPA tissue IHC). Evaluate IF/ICC on its separate guide page. This section provides no IF/ICC protocol option.
Why is my staining missing, weak or wrong?
SituationLikely causeNext action
Cerebellar molecular-layer processes are blank.The expected medium-staining structures may be missing from the section, or the staining run may have failed (HPA tissue IHC: cerebellum, medium; general IHC practice).Confirm section anatomy and run controls, then check the catalog antibody's IHC-P instructions for retrieval, dilution and detection conditions (general IHC practice).
All tissue compartments show similar brown colour.The reported staining is selective within the CNS, so uniform colour is inconsistent with that pattern (HPA tissue IHC: CNS profile). Background from the detection workflow is possible (general IHC practice).Examine a no-primary control; review blocking, washes and chromogen development before interpreting the slide (general IHC practice).
Adipocytes or other listed negative populations stain strongly.Adipocytes in adipose tissue and breast were not detected in the listed HPA observations; cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity may explain unexpected colour (HPA tissue IHC: negative observations; general IHC practice).Compare the same population with a no-primary control and with the cerebellar positive reference; avoid assigning target positivity from colour alone (general IHC practice).
Nuclear colour dominates while molecular-layer processes remain faint.The nuclear-dominant pattern differs from the reported cytoplasmic CNS tissue pattern (HPA tissue IHC: CNS profile). Counterstain or detection background can also complicate compartment assignment (general IHC practice).Inspect a no-primary control and reassess where chromogen sits relative to nuclei and processes; score only a reproducible expected tissue pattern (general IHC practice).
Cerebral cortex, hippocampus or caudate looks nearly negative.HPA lists low staining in cortical neuronal cells and in hippocampal and caudate glial cells (HPA tissue IHC: low observations). Weak colour in these populations may be hard to separate from background (general IHC practice).Compare them with the medium-staining cerebellar reference and matched controls before concluding that the run failed (HPA tissue IHC: cerebellum, medium; general IHC practice).

Sample controls for GPR37L1 IHC & IF

🧪Run cerebellum first: processes in its molecular layer should stain (HPA: Medium in cerebellar molecular-layer processes). Use adipose tissue as a negative, with adipocytes lacking detectable staining (HPA: Not detected in adipocytes); on the cerebellar slide, cells and regions outside the stained processes should provide an internal background comparison, without assuming they are target-negative (HPA: staining assigned to molecular-layer processes).
Positive control tissue: Cerebellum (Processes in molecular layer, HPA Medium)
Negative control tissue: Adipose tissue (HPA Not detected)
ICC-IF cell lines (HPA subcellular resource): HPA ICC-IF images show GPR37L1 in HaCaT, MCF-7, U2OS, with annotated localisation: Nucleoplasm (uncertain), Cell Junctions (approved) (HPA subcellular).
Technical controls: Include a no-primary, secondary-only control and a host- and isotype-matched control for a monoclonal primary, or host-matched nonimmune IgG for a polyclonal primary (standard IHC practice). Confirm specificity with a peptide-blocked section, as shown for the selected antibody (A11679-1 tissue-IHC caption: peptide block), or a validated knockout; block endogenous peroxidase and compare background in cerebellar tissue before interpreting chromogenic signal (standard chromogenic IHC practice).
⚠️Feasibility: A target-specific fixation window and retrieval dependency are unreported in the supplied evidence; optimize antigen retrieval against the positive and negative controls (standard IHC practice). The selected paraffin-section caption does not state a fixative (A11679-1 tissue-IHC caption: fixative unreported). Neither frozen sections nor IF are established here as easier; diffuse background among cerebellar processes could complicate scoring, so assess staining against the same-slide background and controls (HPA: Medium in molecular-layer processes; standard IHC practice).

HPA tissue IHC evidence for GPR37L1

Comprehensive Human Protein Atlas IHC scoring per tissue (reliability: Enhanced — 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
Cerebellum Processes in molecular layer Medium Protein (IHC) HPA →
Testis Round or early spermatids 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 →
Appendix Glandular cells Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Bone marrow Hematopoietic cells Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Breast Adipocytes Not detected Protein (IHC) HPA →
Section 3

Advanced GPR37L1 IHC Tips

Troubleshoot GPR37L1 staining in paraffin sections by comparing signal location, tissue pattern and controls with the supplied receptor and IHC evidence.

How should I retrieve GPR37L1 in paraffin sections when staining is weak?
Start with citrate buffer at pH 6.0 for heat-induced retrieval at 95–98 °C for 20 minutes (page retrieval setting). If signal is weak, compare a modestly longer heating interval with the same buffer before testing an alternative retrieval condition, using adjacent sections from the same block (standard IHC practice). Keep antibody concentration, chromogen development and imaging settings constant across that comparison so a change in staining can be attributed to retrieval (standard IHC practice). Evaluate whether the improvement appears in brain tissue and preserves the expected cellular pattern, rather than merely increasing diffuse background (selected-SKU IHC caption; HPA tissue IHC; standard IHC practice).
Can I adjust fixation to recover weak GPR37L1 staining?
Target-specific fixation sensitivity is unknown because the selected antibody’s paraffin-section caption does not report a fixative (selected-SKU IHC caption, A11679-1). Record the fixative, fixation duration and processing history for each block before comparing staining, since these factors can change epitope accessibility in routine IHC (standard IHC practice). If comparable specimens are available, stain sections from differently processed blocks in one run with the same pH 6.0, 20-minute retrieval condition (page retrieval setting; standard IHC practice). Treat any difference as a processing observation until matched specimens and appropriate staining controls establish its cause; do not assign it to a known GPR37L1 fixation effect (standard IHC practice).
What staining compartment should count as plausible GPR37L1 in brain?
Look for a coherent cellular or process-associated pattern: GPR37L1 is annotated at the cell and cilium membranes, including basal membranes of Bergmann glial primary cilia (UniProt O60883 subcellular location). Medium staining of cerebellar molecular-layer processes provides a tissue-level reference, while the HPA tissue profile describes selective cytoplasmic expression in the CNS (HPA tissue IHC). Cytoplasmic chromogen can reflect unresolved membrane-rich processes in a section, so inspect morphology and compare serial sections before assigning a subcellular compartment (standard IHC practice). Treat predominantly nuclear-only staining cautiously because it does not match the UniProt membrane annotation, even though HPA cell-imaging data list uncertain nucleoplasmic localisation (UniProt O60883 subcellular location; HPA subcellular).
How does epitope position affect GPR37L1 staining in paraffin sections?
Confirm the antibody’s documented immunogen or epitope before changing retrieval: the supplied record annotates 0 isoforms but does not locate this antibody’s binding site (UniProt O60883 isoforms; selected-SKU IHC caption). GPR37L1 has 7 transmembrane segments, extracellular and cytoplasmic loops, and a cytoplasmic C-terminal region at residues 420–481 (UniProt O60883 topology). Its extracellular region carries annotated glycosylation sites at residues 79, 85, 86, 95, 105 and 107, which are relevant when evaluating accessibility of a documented extracellular epitope (UniProt O60883 glycosylation; standard IHC practice). The selected-SKU brain image includes peptide-blocked staining; use that comparison as evidence for peptide competition, while still assessing tissue distribution and morphology (selected-SKU IHC caption; standard IHC practice).
How can I check GPR37L1 localisation by multiplex IF?
Use an independently validated marker for the cell population or processes being examined, and compare overlap with the cerebellar molecular-layer process pattern reported by HPA (HPA tissue IHC; standard IF practice). Choose well-separated fluorophores and inspect single-label controls, especially when tissue autofluorescence overlaps a detection channel (standard IF practice). Set permeabilisation according to a documented antibody epitope: intracellular loops or the cytoplasmic C terminus require access across the membrane, whereas an extracellular epitope may be tested with gentler permeabilisation (UniProt O60883 topology; standard IF practice). Do not transfer the paraffin-section caption into an IF fixation claim, because that caption reports neither IF performance nor a fixative (selected-SKU IHC caption, A11679-1).
What should I change when GPR37L1 chromogen appears everywhere?
First compare antibody-omission and secondary-only controls with the stained section to identify signal contributed by detection reagents (standard IHC practice). Apply an appropriate endogenous peroxidase block before DAB detection, and check whether pigment or precipitate remains visible in control sections (standard IHC practice). Titrate the primary antibody and shorten chromogen development in parallel sections while holding the pH 6.0, 20-minute retrieval condition constant (page retrieval setting; standard IHC practice). A diffuse signal across cells expected to be negative is less persuasive than the selective CNS pattern reported by HPA; inspect tissue edges and damaged areas separately before assigning positivity (HPA tissue IHC; standard IHC practice).
How should I quantify GPR37L1 staining across brain sections? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the anatomical region and cell or process compartment before scoring, since HPA reports medium staining in cerebellar molecular-layer processes and lower staining in selected cortical or glial populations (HPA tissue IHC). For identifiable cells, report percentage positive and an intensity-weighted H-score; for dense processes, measure chromogen-positive area or optical density per mm² of eligible tissue (standard IHC practice). Normalise each measurement to the sampled tissue area or the number of eligible cells, excluding folds, necrosis and section edges by a prespecified rule (standard IHC practice). Keep retrieval, DAB development, scanning and threshold settings consistent across slides, and report biological samples separately from technical replicates (standard IHC practice).
When is a positive GPR37L1 IHC result convincing?
A convincing result combines reproducible staining in plausible brain structures with appropriate controls: the selected-SKU human brain image has a peptide-blocked comparison, and HPA reports cerebellar molecular-layer process staining (selected-SKU IHC caption, A11679-1; HPA tissue IHC). Interpret membrane- or process-associated signal in light of the receptor’s annotated cell and cilium membrane locations, while recognising the selective cytoplasmic appearance reported in tissue IHC (UniProt O60883 subcellular location; HPA tissue IHC). Nuclear-only signal, staining concentrated at section edges or necrotic areas, and DAB signal in omission controls warrant investigation before scoring (UniProt O60883 subcellular location; standard IHC practice). Peptide competition supports antibody binding to the competing peptide, but tissue pattern and detection controls remain necessary for assigning cellular specificity (selected-SKU IHC caption; standard IHC practice).
Boster reagents

Best GPR37L1 / G protein-coupled receptor 37-like 1 IHC Antibodies

Two anti-GPR37L1 antibodies have pictured human tissue IHC or cell IF results (A11679-1 IHC image caption; A11679 IF image caption). Both list Human, Mouse and Rat reactivity (catalog: reactivity).

Real IHC data Immunohistochemistry analysis of paraffin-embedded human brain tissue, using ETBR2 Antibody. The picture on the right is blocked with the synthesized peptide.
Anti-GPR37L1 Antibody
Cat # A11679-1
Real IF data Immunofluorescence analysis of LOVO cells, using ETBR2 Antibody. The picture on the right is blocked with the synthesized peptide.
Anti-ETBR2 GPR37L1 Antibody
Cat # A11679

A11679-1 renders with paraffin-embedded human brain IHC and a peptide-blocked comparison (A11679-1 IHC image caption). A11679 renders with LOVO-cell IF and a peptide-blocked comparison (A11679 IF image caption); IHC and ICC are also listed applications (catalog: A11679 applications).

Which to pick: Choose A11679-1 for paraffin-section IHC because its own image shows human brain tissue; the fixative is unreported (A11679-1 IHC image caption). Choose A11679 for cell IF/ICC: its own image shows IF in LOVO cells, and ICC is a listed application (A11679 IF image caption; catalog: A11679 applications). For cross-species work, both rabbit polyclonals list Human, Mouse and Rat reactivity (catalog: host, dilution_raw, reactivity); the supplied images show human tissue or LOVO cells (A11679-1 IHC image caption; A11679 IF image caption).

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

References

  1. UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry O60883 (G37L1_HUMAN, G protein-coupled receptor 37-like 1).
  2. Human Protein Atlas. GPR37L1 tissue IHC expression (reliability: Enhanced).
  3. Human Protein Atlas. GPR37L1 subcellular location (ICC-IF): Mainly localized to the nucleoplasm and cell junctions. In addition localized to the plasma membrane and vesicles..
  4. Human Protein Atlas. GPR37L1 antibody validation summary (2 antibodies).
  5. Prosaposin and its receptors GRP37 and GPR37L1 show increased immunoreactivity in the facial nucleus following facial nerve transection. PloS one 2020 — PMC7707515.
  6. The expression of prosaposin and its receptors, GRP37 and GPR37L1, are increased in the developing dorsal root ganglion. PloS one 2021 — PMC8357083.
  7. Expression of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPR) 37 and GPR37L1 in the mouse digestive system. The Journal of veterinary medical science 2021 — PMC7870391.
  8. G protein-coupled receptor 37-like 1 modulates astrocyte glutamate transporters and neuronal NMDA receptors and is neuroprotective in ischemia. Glia 2018 — PMC5724489.
  9. PubMed PMID:9539149 — UniProt-cited evidence.
  10. PubMed PMID:14702039 — UniProt-cited evidence.
  11. PubMed PMID:16710414 — UniProt-cited evidence.