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KCNQ1 / Potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily KQT member 1 · IHC design guide
Design Immunohistochemistry for KCNQ1
Plan KCNQ1 staining in paraffin sections using the IHC-validated antibody and HPA tissue patterns. Compare glandular staining in adrenal gland, thyroid gland or stomach with an appropriate negative control (HPA tissue IHC).
Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
KCNQ1 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 | Membranous and cytoplasmic tissue staining (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Staining pattern | Adrenal, thyroid and stomach glands: cytoplasmic and membranous staining (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Antigen retrieval | EDTA pH 8.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A00310-1) | |
| Positive control | Adrenal gland+4 more · see all | |
| Negative control | Adipose tissue+4 more · see all |
Important caveats
Reasons your staining may differ from the expected pattern.
| Fixation | Matched tissue-IHC evidence does not establish the fixation claim. Validate the specimen-specific method before use. (selected-SKU IHC image A00310-1) | |
| Caveat | Epithelial polarization can shift KCNQ1 from surface to ER (UniProt) | |
| Regulation | NEDD4L reduces surface KCNQ1 (UniProt) | |
| Isoform / epitope | 2 isoforms; epitope coverage is unspecified (UniProt) |
Section 1
Recommended KCNQ1 IHC & IF Protocols
Compare the catalog antibody’s IHC-P protocol (datasheet A00310-1) with published KCNQ1 staining protocols for frog kidney (PMC3167289) and gastrointestinal cancer tissue microarrays (PMC3935979).
| Sample | Paraffin-embedded human liver cancer tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A00310-1) |
| Fixation | Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A00310-1); verify before use. |
| Sectioning | 4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard) |
| Deparaffinisation | Xylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard) |
| Antigen retrieval | Heat retrieval: EDTA pH 8.0 (datasheet A00310-1); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard) |
| Peroxidase block | 3% H2O2, 10 min, room temperature (standard) |
| Blocking | 10% goat serum (datasheet A00310-1) |
| Primary antibody | Rabbit anti-KCNQ1, 2-5 μg/ml (datasheet A00310-1) |
| Primary incubation | Overnight at 4 °C (datasheet A00310-1) |
| Detection | HRP-conjugated secondary, DAB chromogen (datasheet A00310-1) |
| Counterstain | Hematoxylin, blue, dehydrate and mount (standard) |
| Expected result | KCNQ1-positive staining in glandular cells of adrenal gland (HPA tissue IHC: High). HPA tissue profile: Cytoplasmic and membranous expression mainly in adrenal gland, thyroid gland and stomach. No signal in the no-primary control. |
💡Decision noteStart with heat-mediated EDTA retrieval at pH 8.0 for the catalog antibody (datasheet A00310-1). The published protocols used different retrieval buffers with different antibodies (PMC3167289; PMC3935979).
Section 2
What Is the Expected KCNQ1 Staining Pattern?
KCNQ1 is a six-pass membrane channel with cytoplasmic regions (UniProt P51787 topology). In paraffin-section IHC, expect cytoplasmic and membranous staining, particularly in glandular cells of adrenal gland, stomach, and thyroid and in duodenal enterocytes (HPA tissue IHC: High). HPA rates the tissue profile Enhanced, but reports medium consistency with RNA data and says retesting is pending (HPA tissue IHC reliability).
| Glandular cells show distinct membrane-associated staining with some cytoplasmic signal; surrounding cells are less prominent. | This fits HPA’s cytoplasmic and membranous tissue profile. Compare cells within the same section: HPA reports High staining in adrenal, stomach, and thyroid glandular cells, and in duodenal enterocytes (HPA tissue IHC). Membrane signal is consistent with KCNQ1 topology (UniProt P51787). |
| Signal is predominantly nuclear, with little discernible membrane or cytoplasmic staining. | An exclusively nuclear pattern conflicts with the reported tissue profile and annotated locations (HPA tissue IHC; UniProt P51787 subcellular location). Treat it as suspect; review morphology, antibody specificity, and detection controls before scoring cells as KCNQ1-positive (general IHC practice). |
| Strong staining appears in prostate glandular cells or adipocytes. | HPA reports KCNQ1 as Not detected in those cell populations (HPA tissue IHC). Consider cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity, and check a reagent-only control (general IHC practice). Prostate needs particular caution: UniProt reports abundant tissue expression, whereas HPA reports no glandular-cell staining (UniProt P51787 tissue specificity; HPA tissue IHC). |
| Color spreads across cells, stroma, and empty areas without a clear cellular pattern. | That distribution is poor evidence for KCNQ1 because HPA describes cellular cytoplasmic and membranous staining (HPA tissue IHC). Inspect the no-primary control and review blocking, washes, and detection background (general IHC practice); do not assign diffuse deposit to a compartment. |
| A known-positive section shows no convincing signal in the expected cells. | Check that the section contains the relevant cell type: HPA reports High staining in stomach and adrenal glandular cells and duodenal enterocytes (HPA tissue IHC). If it does, review antibody validation and assay controls before interpreting absence biologically (general IHC practice); HPA notes medium RNA–staining consistency and pending retesting (HPA tissue IHC reliability). |
💡Expected KCNQ1 appearanceCall a result positive when identifiable glandular cells or duodenal enterocytes show clear cytoplasmic and membrane-associated staining, potentially High in the listed tissues (HPA tissue IHC); isolated nuclear color or diffuse extracellular deposit is suspect because it does not match that profile (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice).
| Tissue and cell selection | Choose a section with HPA High cells, such as stomach glandular cells or duodenal enterocytes (HPA tissue IHC). Score the named cells rather than an entire organ: HPA lists other populations at Medium, Low, or Not detected (HPA tissue IHC). |
| Localization and antibody validation | KCNQ1 has six transmembrane segments and multiple annotated membrane locations, plus endoplasmic-reticulum and endosome locations (UniProt P51787 topology and subcellular location). HPA describes cytoplasmic and membranous tissue staining; antibody HPA048553 has Enhanced IHC validation (HPA tissue IHC; HPA antibodies). An exclusive nuclear result warrants scrutiny. |
| Epitope and isoform scope | UniProt annotates two isoforms, one N-glycosylation site at residue 289, and cytoplasmic and extracellular regions (UniProt P51787 isoforms, glycosylation, topology). These facts alone do not establish which isoform or epitope an antibody detects; check the chosen antibody’s documented target region before making an isoform-specific interpretation (general IHC practice). |
| IF/ICC Q: What localization should I expect? | A: HPA reports mainly endoplasmic reticulum, with additional plasma membrane and cytosol signal in ICC-IF (HPA subcellular). This is a separate imaging observation; use the HPA tissue IHC profile when judging chromogenic paraffin sections (HPA tissue IHC; HPA subcellular). |
| Situation | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| No stain in an expected positive section | The expected cell population may be absent, or the IHC run may have failed (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). | Confirm glandular cells or enterocytes on the section, then review the antibody’s IHC validation and run controls (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
| Predominantly nuclear stain | Nuclear-only signal disagrees with KCNQ1’s annotated locations and HPA’s tissue pattern (UniProt P51787 subcellular location; HPA tissue IHC). | Compare with an HPA High cell population and a no-primary control; withhold a positive call if the expected cellular pattern remains absent (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
| Strong color in an HPA Not detected cell type | Cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity is possible; HPA lists prostate glandular cells and adipocytes as Not detected (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). | Check reagent-only controls and compare an HPA High cell population. Interpret prostate cautiously because UniProt’s tissue-expression summary differs from HPA IHC (UniProt P51787 tissue specificity; HPA tissue IHC). |
| Uniform haze or precipitate obscures cells | Diffuse background can arise from the staining or detection workflow (general IHC practice). | Inspect a no-primary control; review blocking, washes, detection reagent, and counterstain, then score only clearly localized cellular signal (general IHC practice). |
| Membrane signal is weak beside cytoplasmic color | KCNQ1 can occupy intracellular compartments as well as plasma membrane; HPA also reports cytoplasmic tissue staining (UniProt P51787 subcellular location; HPA tissue IHC). | Assess the whole cell pattern against an HPA High population. Do not reject cytoplasmic signal solely because its membrane edge is faint (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
| Different sections give conflicting results | HPA reports medium consistency between antibody staining and RNA data, with retesting pending (HPA tissue IHC reliability). | Record the tissue, scored cell type, compartment, and controls for each section; compare like cell populations and interpret discordance cautiously (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
Experiment evidence
IHC & IF images showing KCNQ1 staining
A00310-1 · IHCIHC analysis of KCNQ1 using anti-KCNQ1 antibody (A00310-1). KCNQ1 was detected in a paraffin-embedded section of human liver cancer tissue.
A00310-1 · IHCIHC analysis of KCNQ1 using anti-KCNQ1 antibody (A00310-1). KCNQ1 was detected in a paraffin-embedded section of human lung cancer tissue. H
A00310-1 · IFIF analysis of KCNQ1 using anti-KCNQ1 antibody (A00310-1). KCNQ1 was detected in an immunocytochemical section of Hela cells. Enzyme antigen
HPA · Cerebral cortexHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Cerebral cortex. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000053918-KCNQ1/tissue/cerebral+cortex#imid_15227150
HPA · Thyroid glandHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Thyroid gland. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000053918-KCNQ1/tissue/thyroid+gland#imid_15227118
HPA · ColonHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Colon. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000053918-KCNQ1/tissue/colon#imid_15227092
HPA · LiverHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Liver. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000053918-KCNQ1/tissue/liver#imid_15227077
HPA · ICC-IF OE19Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, OE19, antibody HPA011306; green = KCNQ1, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
HPA · ICC-IF OE19Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, OE19, antibody HPA011306; green = KCNQ1, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
← swipe / scroll for more images →
Real IHC / IF data behind the staining-pattern expectations in this section.
Sample controls for KCNQ1 IHC & IF
🧪Run duodenum first: enterocytes should stain (HPA: High in duodenal enterocytes); use adipose tissue as the negative tissue, with adipocytes expected to show no specific staining (HPA: Not detected in adipocytes). On the duodenal slide, use non-enterocyte stromal cells as an internal background reference: they should lack the enterocyte staining pattern, although HPA does not designate them as KCNQ1-negative (HPA: High in duodenal enterocytes).
Positive control tissue: Adrenal gland (Glandular cells, HPA High)
Negative control tissue: Adipose tissue (HPA Not detected)
ICC-IF cell lines (HPA subcellular resource): HPA ICC-IF images show KCNQ1 in OE19, SH-SY5Y, THP-1, U2OS, with annotated localisation: Endoplasmic reticulum (enhanced) (HPA subcellular).
Technical controls: Include a no-primary, secondary-only control, a rabbit IgG isotype control matched to the primary antibody’s class and monoclonal or polyclonal format, and a matched KCNQ1 knockout section if available (caption: rabbit primary; standard IHC practice). For DAB detection in duodenum, quench endogenous peroxidase and check whether inflammatory cells produce residual background (caption: peroxidase/DAB detection; standard IHC practice).
⚠️Feasibility: No KCNQ1-specific fixation window or fixation effect is reported in the supplied evidence; the fixative in the A00310-1 paraffin-section caption is unreported (A00310-1 tissue-IHC caption). That caption uses heat-mediated EDTA retrieval at pH 8.0, but does not establish that retrieval is essential for duodenum (A00310-1 tissue-IHC caption). The supplied evidence does not establish whether frozen sections or IF/ICC are easier; in duodenal DAB sections, endogenous peroxidase in inflammatory cells is a potential staining artefact (HPA: High in duodenal enterocytes; standard IHC practice).
HPA tissue IHC evidence for KCNQ1
Comprehensive Human Protein Atlas IHC scoring per tissue (reliability: Enhanced — Medium consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression data. Pending retesting.). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adrenal gland | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Duodenum | Enterocytes | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Parathyroid gland | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Seminal vesicle | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Stomach | 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 → |
| Caudate | Glial cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Endometrium | Cells in endometrial stroma | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Lymph node | Germinal center cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Prostate | Glandular cells | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Section 3
Advanced KCNQ1 IHC Tips
Troubleshoot KCNQ1 staining in paraffin sections by checking retrieval, tissue preservation, cellular localisation and detection controls before scoring chromogenic signal.
Which retrieval condition should I try first for weak KCNQ1 staining?
Use heat-mediated retrieval in EDTA at pH 8.0 for A00310-1 paraffin IHC (datasheet A00310-1). The selected image used this condition before overnight primary incubation at 4°C (caption A00310-1). If staining remains weak, compare adjacent sections with slightly longer heating while holding buffer and detection constant (standard IHC practice). Watch for damaged epithelial borders or diffuse DAB, since KCNQ1 may occupy apical, basolateral and intracellular membranes (UniProt P51787 localisation). Include a no-primary control and a stomach glandular-cell positive section to distinguish retrieval failure from assay background (HPA: High in stomach glandular cells; standard IHC practice).
Could fixation explain variable KCNQ1 staining between paraffin blocks?
Target-specific fixation sensitivity is unknown from the supplied evidence (caption A00310-1: fixative not stated). The selected image documents paraffin-embedded human liver cancer tissue, but it does not identify the fixative or establish a preferred fixation duration (caption A00310-1). Compare blocks with documented processing histories, staining matched sections together and holding retrieval at EDTA pH 8.0 (datasheet A00310-1; standard IHC practice). Examine morphology and staining in an internal positive compartment before attributing a weak result to fixation (standard IHC practice). Neither tissue-expression patterns nor membrane topology establish a KCNQ1-specific fixation effect (HPA tissue IHC; UniProt P51787 topology).
Is cytoplasmic KCNQ1 staining credible when membrane staining is faint?
Assess the cellular pattern before rejecting cytoplasmic signal: KCNQ1 is annotated at the cell membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, early endosome and cytoplasmic vesicle membrane (UniProt P51787 localisation). Tissue IHC describes cytoplasmic and membranous expression, mainly in adrenal gland, thyroid gland and stomach (HPA tissue IHC profile). Apical or basolateral enrichment can vary with epithelial context, so compare like cell types and orientation across sections (UniProt P51787 localisation; standard IHC practice). Diffuse staining without recognizable cell boundaries needs a no-primary control and morphology review (standard IHC practice). Record membranous and intracellular staining separately rather than forcing both into one intensity score (standard IHC practice).
How should an unknown antibody epitope affect KCNQ1 IHC interpretation?
KCNQ1 has 2 annotated isoforms, but the supplied caption does not map the A00310-1 epitope (UniProt P51787 isoforms; caption A00310-1). Request the immunogen or epitope coordinates before claiming that staining represents both isoforms (standard IHC practice). Topology places residues 1–120 and 349–676 on the cytoplasmic side, with several short extracellular loops (UniProt P51787 topology). Glycosylation at residue 289 and phosphorylation at 27, 407 and 409 are annotated, but their effect on this antibody is untested here (UniProt P51787 modifications). If pattern differences persist, compare an independently mapped epitope on matched sections (standard IHC practice).
How can I assess KCNQ1 localisation by multiplex IF?
Treat multiplex IF as a separate optimisation from this paraffin chromogenic IHC assay (caption A00310-1; standard IF practice). In duodenum, pair KCNQ1 with an epithelial marker such as pan-cytokeratin to identify enterocytes, a high-staining population in the tissue profile (HPA: High in duodenal enterocytes; standard IF practice). Choose a far-red KCNQ1 channel where tissue autofluorescence obscures shorter wavelengths, and inspect unstained and single-stain controls (standard IF practice). If the mapped epitope is cytoplasmic, optimise permeabilisation; for an extracellular epitope, test without unnecessary detergent (UniProt P51787 topology; standard IF practice). Compare membrane, endoplasmic-reticulum and cytosolic patterns without assuming every intracellular punctum is specific (HPA subcellular profile; standard IF practice).
What should I check when DAB obscures KCNQ1 staining?
Start with a no-primary section to separate detection-system staining from antibody-dependent signal (standard IHC practice). The selected image used 10% goat serum blocking, 2 μg/ml primary antibody overnight at 4°C, and a peroxidase-conjugated secondary for 30 minutes at 37°C (caption A00310-1). Check the routine peroxidase block, washing and DAB development time when colour spreads beyond cellular boundaries (standard IHC practice). Compare adjacent sections at lower primary concentration if background remains antibody dependent, without assuming a new dilution is validated (standard IHC practice). Retain a clearly stained glandular positive control to detect loss of genuine signal during optimisation (HPA: High in stomach glandular cells; standard IHC practice).
How should I score KCNQ1 across mixed cell populations? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the evaluable cell population and tissue region before scoring, because reported staining varies by cell type (HPA tissue IHC). For glandular cells, report the percentage positive and an H-score from 0–300, recording membrane and cytoplasmic intensity separately (standard IHC practice). If spatial coverage matters, report positive-cell density per mm² of viable tissue and state the area sampled (standard IHC practice). Normalise counts to evaluable cells or viable area, excluding folds, edges and necrosis by a prespecified rule (standard IHC practice). Apply the same retrieval, development and scoring thresholds to every comparison section (datasheet A00310-1; standard IHC practice).
Which staining patterns support a genuine KCNQ1-positive result?
Give greatest weight to reproducible cellular staining in an expected population, such as stomach glandular cells or duodenal enterocytes (HPA: High in these cell populations). Membrane staining and organised intracellular staining are plausible, given KCNQ1 plasma-membrane and endoplasmic-reticulum localisation (UniProt P51787 localisation; HPA subcellular profile). Predominantly nuclear colour, staining restricted to section edges, or signal concentrated in necrosis warrants artefact review (UniProt P51787 localisation; standard IHC practice). A no-primary control helps identify endogenous enzyme or detection background in the chromogenic workflow (standard IHC practice). Interpret a discordant result cautiously because the tissue IHC profile has medium staining–RNA consistency and is pending retesting (HPA: Enhanced reliability description).
Boster reagents
Best KCNQ1 / Potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily KQT member 1 IHC Antibodies
The IHC-validated antibody has paraffin-section images from human liver cancer, lung cancer, placenta, and breast cancer tissue (A00310-1 IHC captions), plus an IF image from HeLa cells (A00310-1 IF caption).
Real IHC data
Anti-KCNQ1 Antibody ®
Cat # A00310-1
A00310-1 is the only SKU shown; its IHC images use paraffin-embedded human liver cancer, lung cancer, placenta, and breast cancer tissue (A00310-1 IHC captions). Its IF image uses HeLa cells (A00310-1 IF caption), and the catalog lists Human, Mouse, and Rat reactivity (A00310-1 catalog).
Which to pick: Choose A00310-1 for human paraffin-section IHC: its image captions document that preparation, while the fixative is unreported (A00310-1 IHC captions). Choose the same SKU for IF/ICC based on the HeLa cell IF image and listed IF/ICC applications (A00310-1 IF caption; A00310-1 catalog). For cross-species work, A00310-1 lists Mouse and Rat reactivity, but its supplied IHC and IF images show human samples only (A00310-1 catalog; A00310-1 image captions).
Each figure is that product's own IHC / IF validation image from its datasheet.
References
- UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry P51787 (KCNQ1_HUMAN, Potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily KQT member 1).
- Human Protein Atlas. KCNQ1 tissue IHC expression (reliability: Enhanced).
- Human Protein Atlas. KCNQ1 subcellular location (ICC-IF): Mainly localized to the endoplasmic reticulum. In addition localized to the plasma membrane and cytosol..
- Human Protein Atlas. KCNQ1 antibody validation summary (3 antibodies).
- Prox1 maintains taste bud structure via inhibition of apoptosis. Cell and tissue research 2026 — PMC12872690.
- Differential expression of KCNQ1 K+ channel in tubular cells of frog kidney. European journal of histochemistry : EJH 2010 — PMC3167289.
- The role of KCNQ1 in mouse and human gastrointestinal cancers. Oncogene 2014 — PMC3935979.
- A Novel Role of Arrhythmia-Related Gene KCNQ1 Revealed by Multi-Omic Analysis: Theragnostic Value and Potential Mechanisms in Lung Adenocarcinoma. International journal of molecular sciences 2022 — PMC8874518.
- PubMed PMID:9312006 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:9305853 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:9799083 — UniProt-cited evidence.
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for KCNQ1 (Potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily KQT member 1). Expected localisation Membranous and cytoplasmic tissue staining (HPA tissue IHC). Antigen retrieval: EDTA pH 8.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A00310-1). Validated IHC antibody: A00310-1 at 2-5 μg/ml (the product's own IHC validation image is shown). Controls (HPA): positive Adrenal gland (Glandular cells); negative Adipose tissue. IHC-P workflow on paraffin sections; fixative unspecified. Protocol steps: 1. Sample: Paraffin-embedded human liver cancer tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A00310-1); 2. Fixation: Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A00310-1); 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: EDTA pH 8.0 (datasheet A00310-1); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard); 6. Peroxidase block: 3% H2O2, 10 min , room temperature (standard); 7. Blocking: 10% goat serum (datasheet A00310-1); 8. Primary antibody: Rabbit anti-KCNQ1, 2-5 μg/ml (datasheet A00310-1); 9. Primary incubation: Overnight at 4 °C (datasheet A00310-1). Watch for: Fixation: Matched tissue-IHC evidence does not establish the fixation claim. Validate the specimen-specific method before use. (selected-SKU IHC image A00310-1); Caveat: Epithelial polarization can shift KCNQ1 from surface to ER (UniProt); Isoform / epitope: 2 isoforms; epitope coverage is unspecified (UniProt); Regulation: NEDD4L reduces surface KCNQ1 (UniProt). Evidence: UniProt P51787, HPA tissue IHC · Enhanced, HPA ICC-IF · Mainly localized to the endoplasmic reticulum. In addition localized…, Datasheet A00310-1, PMC3167289, PMC3935979. QR code links to https://www.bosterbio.com/bosterbio-gene-info-cards/KCNQ1/immunohistochemistry-ihc-guide.