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HOXA10 / Homeobox protein Hox-A10 · IHC design guide
Design Immunohistochemistry for HOXA10
Plan chromogenic HOXA10 IHC around the nuclear staining observed in several tissues (HPA tissue IHC). Endometrial stromal cells and cervical glandular cells show medium staining (HPA tissue IHC); include a no-primary control (standard IHC practice).
Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
HOXA10 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 staining in several tissues (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Staining pattern | Nuclear staining across several tissue cell types (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Antigen retrieval | Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A02288-1) | |
| Positive control | Breast+4 more · see all | |
| Negative control | Caudate+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 | Antibody staining and RNA show low consistency (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Regulation | Tissue-enhanced RNA in cervix and endometrium (HPA tissue RNA) | |
| Isoform / epitope | 2 isoforms; epitope coverage is unspecified (UniProt) |
Section 1
Recommended HOXA10 IHC & IF Protocols
The catalog antibody’s IHC-P protocol is accompanied by four published HOXA10 staining protocols (PMC6966495; PMC6745829; PMC8165781; PMC11622399).
| Sample | Paraffin-embedded human spleen tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A02288-1) |
| Fixation | Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A02288-1); verify before use. |
| Sectioning | 4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard) |
| Deparaffinisation | Xylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard) |
| Antigen retrieval | Heat retrieval: Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 (datasheet A02288-1); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard) |
| 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-HOXA10, 1:50 (datasheet A02288-1) |
| 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 | HOXA10-positive staining in adipocytes of breast (HPA tissue IHC: Medium). HPA tissue profile: Nuclear expression in several tissues. No signal in the no-primary control. |
💡Decision noteStart with the catalog antibody’s Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 heat retrieval (datasheet: A02288-1); published citrate pH 6.0 protocols offer alternatives (PMC6745829; PMC8165781).
Section 2
What Is the Expected HOXA10 Staining Pattern?
HOXA10 is a nuclear transcription factor with no transmembrane segment (UniProt P31260). In paraffin-section IHC, expect nuclear staining in selected cells, including endometrial stromal cells and cervical glandular cells (HPA tissue IHC: Medium). HPA describes nuclear expression in several tissues, but rates tissue IHC “Approved” with low consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC).
| Nuclear staining in endometrial stromal cells or cervical glandular cells. | This matches the reported compartment and cell types (UniProt P31260: Nucleus; HPA tissue IHC: Medium in both). Judge signal against a negative reagent control; HPA’s “Approved” rating includes low staining–RNA consistency (HPA tissue IHC). |
| Predominantly cytoplasmic or membrane staining, with little nuclear signal. | This conflicts with the expected nuclear location (UniProt P31260; HPA tissue IHC). Check morphology and counterstain, then review antibody and detection controls before calling the staining HOXA10 (standard IHC practice). |
| Staining in cells reported as not detected, such as duodenal glandular cells. | The observation conflicts with that HPA reference pattern (HPA tissue IHC: Not detected in duodenal glandular cells). Cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity is possible; examine a negative reagent control and the staining compartment (standard IHC practice). |
| Diffuse color across tissue and spaces between cells, obscuring nuclei. | This is background rather than a readable nuclear pattern (UniProt P31260: Nucleus; standard IHC practice). Review blocking, washing and detection controls before scoring cells; background alone cannot establish HOXA10 expression (standard IHC practice). |
| No nuclear signal in an endometrial stromal-cell or cervical glandular-cell reference section. | Those cell types showed Medium staining in HPA tissue IHC, so the absent signal warrants a run check (HPA tissue IHC). Verify the reference cells are present and review antibody, retrieval and detection conditions (standard IHC practice); HPA does not establish fixation sensitivity. |
💡Expected HOXA10 appearanceCall a positive result when selected nuclei stain clearly in endometrial stromal cells or cervical glandular cells at a level comparable to HPA’s Medium examples; isolated cytoplasmic color or diffuse background is suspect (HPA tissue IHC; UniProt P31260: Nucleus; standard IHC practice).
| Which compartment should be scored? | Score nuclei: UniProt places HOXA10 in the nucleus, and HPA tissue IHC describes nuclear expression in several tissues (UniProt P31260; HPA tissue IHC). Nuclear counterstaining helps distinguish nuclear signal from adjacent cytoplasm (standard IHC practice). |
| Which reference tissues and cells are informative? | HPA reports Medium staining in endometrial stromal cells and cervical glandular cells, but Not detected in duodenal glandular cells (HPA tissue IHC). Use the named cell populations when comparing sections; a whole-tissue label alone loses that distinction (standard IHC practice). |
| How strong is the tissue-pattern evidence? | The HPA tissue profile is “Approved” yet notes low consistency between staining and RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC). CAB019384 has IHC “Approved”; HPA071918 has no IHC status in the supplied antibody record (HPA antibodies). Treat discordant staining as a finding to verify. |
| Do isoforms or processing predict a separate staining pattern? | UniProt lists two isoforms, one chain spanning residues 1–410, and no signal peptide, propeptide or transmembrane segment (UniProt P31260). The supplied record gives no isoform-specific tissue pattern or epitope position; it cannot predict which isoform an antibody detects. |
| What should IF/ICC show? | HPA reports HOXA10 mainly in nucleoplasm, with additional nuclear-body localization, both supported (HPA subcellular ICC-IF). This is an IF/ICC localization answer, not an IHC protocol option; use the separate IF/ICC guide for assay design. |
| Situation | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclei remain unstained in a reference section. | The reference cells may be absent, or an assay step may have failed (standard IHC practice). HPA reports Medium staining in endometrial stromal and cervical glandular cells (HPA tissue IHC). | Confirm those cells in the section, then review the antibody’s IHC-P instructions, retrieval, detection and run controls (standard IHC practice). Do not infer a HOXA10-specific fixation effect from HPA staining levels. |
| Color appears mainly in cytoplasm or at membranes. | That distribution conflicts with nuclear HOXA10 (UniProt P31260; HPA tissue IHC); nonspecific staining or a detection artefact is possible (standard IHC practice). | Check the nuclear counterstain and tissue morphology; compare negative reagent controls and repeat with controlled detection conditions (standard IHC practice). |
| A reported negative cell population stains. | Duodenal glandular cells are Not detected in the HPA examples (HPA tissue IHC). Unexpected color may reflect cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity (standard IHC practice). | Check whether staining is nuclear, inspect the negative reagent control and assess endogenous enzyme activity if using enzyme detection (standard IHC practice). Treat HPA’s negative example as a reference, not proof that every specimen must be negative. |
| Brown color is diffuse or masks cell boundaries. | Excess background can prevent nuclear scoring (standard IHC practice); it does not match the HPA nuclear profile (HPA tissue IHC). | Review blocking, wash steps and detection controls, then score only distinguishable nuclei after background is resolved (standard IHC practice). |
| Staining is weak in skeletal muscle myocytes or skin fibroblasts. | HPA lists Low staining in those cells, while its selected endometrial stromal and cervical glandular examples are Medium (HPA tissue IHC). | Use the HPA level for the named cell type when interpreting intensity; include a Medium reference population and appropriate run controls (HPA tissue IHC; standard IHC practice). |
| Two antibodies give different tissue patterns. | HPA rates tissue IHC “Approved” with low staining–RNA consistency; CAB019384 is IHC “Approved,” while HPA071918 has no supplied IHC status (HPA tissue IHC; HPA antibodies). | Compare the same cells, compartment and controls across runs (standard IHC practice). Do not treat the ICC support assigned to either antibody as IHC validation (HPA antibodies). |
Experiment evidence
IHC & IF images showing HOXA10 staining
A02288-1 · IHCImmunohistochemical analysis of paraffin-embedded human spleen. 1, Tris-EDTA, pH9.0 was used for antigen retrieval. 2 Antibody was diluted a
HPA · Cerebral cortexHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Cerebral cortex. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000253293-HOXA10/tissue/cerebral+cortex#imid_18864803
HPA · ColonHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Colon. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000253293-HOXA10/tissue/colon#imid_18864745
HPA · LiverHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Liver. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000253293-HOXA10/tissue/liver#imid_18864738
HPA · KidneyHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Kidney. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000253293-HOXA10/tissue/kidney#imid_18864739
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody CAB019384; green = HOXA10, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody CAB019384; green = HOXA10, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
← swipe / scroll for more images →
Real IHC / IF data behind the staining-pattern expectations in this section.
Sample controls for HOXA10 IHC & IF
🧪Run endometrium first and look for HOXA10 staining in cells of the endometrial stroma (HPA: Medium in cells in endometrial stroma). Run duodenum as the negative tissue, focusing on glandular cells (HPA: Not detected in duodenal glandular cells). On the positive slide, use counterstained cells without nuclear chromogen as internal negative cells only after confirming their staining on that slide; HPA does not identify a negative cell type within endometrium (HPA: Medium in cells in endometrial stroma).
Positive control tissue: Breast (Adipocytes, HPA Medium)
Negative control tissue: Caudate (HPA Not detected)
ICC-IF cell lines (HPA subcellular resource): HPA ICC-IF images show HOXA10 in A-431, U-251MG, U2OS, HEK293, THP-1, with annotated localisation: Nucleoplasm (supported) (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 HOXA10 knockout tissue or cells as a biological negative (standard IHC practice). Block endogenous peroxidase for chromogenic detection and check any blood-rich areas for residual background (standard IHC practice).
⚠️Feasibility: HOXA10 is nuclear, so score nuclear chromogen rather than cytoplasmic staining (UniProt P31260: Nucleus). A target-specific fixation window or fixation effect is unreported, and the selected A02288-1 paraffin-section caption does not state a fixative (selected-SKU tissue-IHC caption: fixative not stated). The caption uses Tris-EDTA at pH 9.0 for retrieval and a 1:200 primary dilution, but does not establish retrieval dependence; the supplied evidence does not show that frozen sections or IF/ICC are easier, and blood-rich areas may introduce peroxidase background (selected-SKU tissue-IHC caption; standard IHC practice).
HPA tissue IHC evidence for HOXA10
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
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breast | Adipocytes | Medium | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Bronchus | Respiratory epithelial cells | Medium | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Cervix | Glandular cells | Medium | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Colon | Glandular cells | Medium | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Endometrium | Cells in endometrial stroma | Medium | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Undetected expression · recommended negative controls
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caudate | Glial cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Cerebellum | Cells in granular layer | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Cerebral cortex | Endothelial cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Duodenum | Glandular cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Esophagus | Squamous epithelial cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Section 3
Advanced HOXA10 IHC Tips
Troubleshoot HOXA10 staining in paraffin sections by checking retrieval, nuclear localisation, cell identity, controls and scoring before interpreting chromogenic signal.
Which retrieval conditions should I try first for weak HOXA10 staining?
Start with heat-mediated retrieval in Tris-EDTA at pH 9.0 for paraffin sections (datasheet A02288-1). The selected human spleen image used that buffer, a 1:200 primary antibody dilution overnight at 4°C, and a 1:200 secondary for 45 minutes at room temperature; its fixative was not reported (caption A02288-1). If nuclear staining remains weak, compare a second retrieval condition on adjacent sections while holding antibody dilution and detection constant (standard IHC practice). Include a tissue and cell population with reported nuclear staining, such as endometrial stromal cells, so a failed run is distinguishable from low expression in the specimen (HPA: endometrium, medium; HPA: nuclear expression).
Could fixation explain weak or uneven nuclear HOXA10 staining?
Target-specific fixation sensitivity is unknown: the selected paraffin-section caption does not state a fixative, and the supplied record gives no fixation comparison (caption A02288-1; UniProt P31260). Document the fixative, fixation interval, section age and processing history for each block before attributing a staining difference to HOXA10 biology (standard IHC practice). Compare adjacent sections from the same block under the documented Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 retrieval condition to isolate staining-run variation (datasheet A02288-1; standard IHC practice). If fixation histories differ, process a matched control alongside each specimen and interpret weaker signal cautiously until the difference reproduces under comparable conditions (standard IHC practice).
What staining pattern is plausible for HOXA10 in tissue sections?
Prioritise staining within intact nuclei: HOXA10 is annotated as nuclear, and tissue IHC reports nuclear expression in several tissues (UniProt P31260: nucleus; HPA: nuclear expression). Nucleoplasmic staining, sometimes accompanied by nuclear-body signal, also agrees with the supported subcellular observations, although those observations come from ICC/IF rather than the selected tissue image (HPA subcellular: nucleoplasm and nuclear bodies; caption A02288-1). Score nuclear signal within morphologically identified cells and compare it with a reported positive population on the same run (standard IHC practice; HPA: endometrial stromal cells, medium). Diffuse cytoplasmic-only or membrane-outline staining needs independent validation before being assigned to HOXA10, which has no annotated transmembrane segment (UniProt P31260 topology; standard IHC practice).
How should two HOXA10 isoforms affect antibody and epitope interpretation?
The record lists 2 HOXA10 isoforms but provides no sequence-level epitope map for this antibody, so staining cannot be assigned to isoform 1 or 2 from these data (UniProt P31260: alternative splicing; supplied antibody evidence). Check the antibody's stated immunogen or epitope against both isoform sequences before claiming that it detects either or both (standard antibody-validation practice). HOXA10 is a nuclear, DNA-binding transcription factor with one annotated chain spanning residues 1–410 and no listed glycosylation sites or modified residues (UniProt P31260). Use a specificity control appropriate to the specimen and score nuclear staining; the processing annotations alone do not establish epitope accessibility after paraffin processing (UniProt P31260; standard IHC practice).
How can I check a chromogenic HOXA10 result by multiplex IF?
Use the IF/ICC guide for the fluorescent workflow; treat the paraffin-section retrieval and antibody incubation in the selected caption as IHC evidence only (caption A02288-1). Pair HOXA10 with a validated marker identifying the expected cell population and a nuclear counterstain, then assess whether the HOXA10 signal falls within those nuclei (HPA: nuclear expression; standard IF practice). Choose fluorophores after checking tissue autofluorescence and reserve a spectrally distinct channel for the weaker signal (standard IF practice). Because HOXA10 is nuclear and has no transmembrane segment, use fixation-compatible permeabilisation that gives antibody access to the nucleus, with matched single-label and no-primary controls (UniProt P31260 topology and localisation; standard IF practice).
How do I reduce diffuse DAB background without losing nuclear signal?
First compare no-primary and secondary-only controls with the HOXA10 section to locate nonspecific detection or tissue pigment (standard chromogenic IHC practice). In an enzyme-based DAB workflow, use an appropriate endogenous peroxidase block, then check blocking, wash stringency and primary concentration while keeping retrieval consistent (standard chromogenic IHC practice). The selected image used primary antibody at 1:200 overnight at 4°C and secondary at 1:200 for 45 minutes at room temperature; these are documented conditions, not proof that every specimen needs them (caption A02288-1). If the background persists, compare shorter chromogen development and inspect nuclei before increasing contrast or calling faint cytoplasmic colour positive (standard IHC practice; UniProt P31260: nucleus).
What is a defensible way to quantify HOXA10 IHC staining? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the cell population and count only evaluable nuclei, because the expected HOXA10 compartment is nuclear (UniProt P31260; HPA: nuclear expression). Report the percentage of positive nuclei and, when intensity grading is reproducible, an H-score calculated as the sum of each intensity grade multiplied by its percentage of cells (standard IHC scoring practice). Normalise to the number of eligible cells or nuclei in the annotated compartment, and report sampled area in mm² if using positive-cell density (standard IHC quantification practice). Apply one threshold, counterstain assessment and sampling rule across matched sections, while recording the positive control and background-control results for each staining run (standard IHC practice).
How can I distinguish genuine HOXA10 positivity from staining artefacts?
A credible result is nuclear signal in intact, identifiable cells that exceeds control background and follows the same scoring rule across the section (UniProt P31260: nucleus; standard IHC practice). Use reported cell populations as context: endometrial stromal cells and cervical glandular cells show medium staining, whereas duodenal glandular cells were not detected in the HPA dataset (HPA tissue IHC). Treat staining limited to section edges, necrotic regions or damaged cells as suspect, and compare it with adjacent intact tissue (standard IHC practice). Cytoplasmic-only colour or signal reproduced in a no-primary control warrants checking endogenous enzyme activity, pigment and nonspecific detection before assigning HOXA10 positivity (UniProt P31260; standard chromogenic IHC practice).
Boster reagents
Best HOXA10 / Homeobox protein Hox-A10 IHC Antibodies
A02288-1 has a paraffin-section human spleen IHC image (catalog IHC image caption), lists IF as an application (catalog applications), and lists human and mouse reactivity (catalog reactivity).
Real IHC data
Anti-Homeobox protein Hox-A10 HOXA10 Antibody
Cat # A02288-1
A02288-1 is shown in paraffin-embedded human spleen IHC with Tris-EDTA pH 9 retrieval (catalog IHC image caption). It is a rabbit polyclonal antibody listed for IHC and IF in human and mouse, with no IF image supplied (catalog host/clonality/applications/reactivity/IF image alts).
Which to pick: For tissue IHC, choose A02288-1 for paraffin sections based on its human spleen image; the fixative is unreported (catalog IHC image caption). For IF, A02288-1 is listed, but no IF image or ICC application is supplied (catalog applications/IF image alts). For cross-species studies, A02288-1 lists human and mouse reactivity, although its pictured IHC result is human spleen only (catalog reactivity/IHC image caption).
Each figure is that product's own IHC / IF validation image from its datasheet.
References
- UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry P31260 (HXA10_HUMAN, Homeobox protein Hox-A10).
- Human Protein Atlas. HOXA10 tissue IHC expression (reliability: Approved).
- Human Protein Atlas. HOXA10 subcellular location (ICC-IF): Mainly localized to the nucleoplasm. In addition localized to the nuclear bodies..
- Human Protein Atlas. HOXA10 antibody validation summary (2 antibodies).
- Increased Progesterone on the Day of Administration of hCG in Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation Affects the Expression of HOXA10 in Primates' Endometrial Receptivity. Biomedicines 2019 — PMC6966495.
- HOXA10 induces BCL2 expression, inhibits apoptosis, and promotes cell proliferation in gastric cancer. Cancer medicine 2019 — PMC6745829.
- Metformin reduces androgen receptor and upregulates homeobox A10 expression in uterine endometrium in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E 2021 — PMC8165781.
- Expression of HOXA10 and HOXA11 in the endometrium of infertile patients with chronic endometritis. JBRA assisted reproduction 2024 — PMC11622399.
- PubMed PMID:1676505 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:14702039 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:12853948 — UniProt-cited evidence.
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for HOXA10 (Homeobox protein Hox-A10). Expected localisation Nuclear staining in several tissues (HPA tissue IHC). Antigen retrieval: Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A02288-1). Validated IHC antibody: A02288-1 at 1:50 (the product's own IHC validation image is shown). Controls (HPA): positive Breast (Adipocytes); negative Caudate. IHC workflow; specimen preparation unspecified. Protocol steps: 1. Sample: Paraffin-embedded human spleen tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A02288-1); 2. Fixation: Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A02288-1); 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 retrieval: Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 (datasheet A02288-1); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard); 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-HOXA10, 1:50 (datasheet A02288-1); 9. Primary incubation: Overnight at 4 °C (standard). Watch for: Fixation: Keep fixation consistent across sections (standard IHC practice; not target-specific); Caveat: Antibody staining and RNA show low consistency (HPA tissue IHC); Isoform / epitope: 2 isoforms ; epitope coverage is unspecified (UniProt); Regulation: Tissue-enhanced RNA in cervix and endometrium (HPA tissue RNA). Evidence: UniProt P31260, HPA tissue IHC · Approved, HPA ICC-IF · Mainly localized to the nucleoplasm. In addition localized to the…, Datasheet A02288-1, PMC6966495, PMC6745829. QR code links to https://www.bosterbio.com/bosterbio-gene-info-cards/HOXA10/immunohistochemistry-ihc-guide.