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LACTB / Serine beta-lactamase-like protein LACTB, mitochondrial · IHC design guide
Design Immunohistochemistry for LACTB
Plan LACTB staining in paraffin sections around a granular cytoplasmic pattern (HPA tissue IHC) and a mitochondrial location at the protein level (UniProt). The catalog antibody's IHC range is 2–5 μg/ml (datasheet A13145-1); ovarian follicle cells stain strongly, while adipocytes are not detected (HPA tissue IHC).
Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
LACTB 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 | Granular cytoplasm (HPA tissue IHC); mitochondria (UniProt) | |
| Staining pattern | Widespread granular cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Antigen retrieval | EDTA pH 8.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A13145-1) | |
| Positive control | Ovary+4 more · see all | |
| Negative control | Adipose tissue+1 more · see all |
Important caveats
Reasons your staining may differ from the expected pattern.
| Fixation | Keep tissue fixation consistent across sections (standard IHC practice; not target-specific) | |
| Caveat | IHC and RNA show medium consistency; verify signals (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Regulation | High in ovarian follicle cells (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Isoform / epitope | 2 isoforms; chain 116–547; epitope coverage unknown (UniProt) |
Section 1
Recommended LACTB IHC & IF Protocols
The catalog antibody’s IHC-P protocol (datasheet A13145-1) is followed by four published LACTB IHC protocols (PMC12222768; PMC9664245; PMC6246920; PMC7842907).
| Sample | Paraffin-embedded human liver cancer tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A13145-1) |
| Fixation | Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A13145-1); 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 A13145-1); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard) |
| Peroxidase block | 3% H2O2, 10 min, room temperature (standard) |
| Blocking | 10% goat serum (datasheet A13145-1) |
| Primary antibody | Rabbit anti-LACTB, 2-5 μg/ml (datasheet A13145-1) |
| Primary incubation | Overnight at 4 °C (datasheet A13145-1) |
| Detection | Streptavidin-biotin complex (SABC), DAB chromogen (datasheet A13145-1) |
| Counterstain | Hematoxylin, blue, dehydrate and mount (standard) |
| Expected result | LACTB-positive staining in follicle cells of ovary (HPA tissue IHC: High). HPA tissue profile: Ubiquitous cytoplasmic expression with a granular pattern. No signal in the no-primary control. |
💡Decision noteStart with heat-mediated EDTA retrieval at pH 8.0 for the catalog antibody, as specified by its datasheet (datasheet A13145-1).
Section 2
What Is the Expected LACTB Staining Pattern?
LACTB is mitochondrial and has no annotated transmembrane segment (UniProt P83111 topology). In paraffin sections, expect granular cytoplasmic staining across multiple cell types, strongest among the listed examples in ovarian follicle cells (HPA tissue IHC: High). The tissue IHC profile is Supported, with medium consistency between staining and RNA data and external verification pending (HPA tissue IHC reliability).
| Granular cytoplasmic staining in ovarian follicle cells, with weaker staining in several other tissues. | This fits HPA's ubiquitous granular cytoplasmic profile: follicle cells are High, while the listed adrenal, appendix, breast and other positive cells are Medium (HPA tissue IHC). Chromogenic granules are consistent with mitochondrial LACTB, although an IHC slide alone does not prove organelle identity (UniProt P83111 location; HPA subcellular). |
| Predominantly nuclear or cell-surface staining, with little granular cytoplasmic signal. | This is discordant with the supported mitochondrial location and tissue IHC pattern (HPA subcellular; HPA tissue IHC). Check compartment assignment and background before calling it LACTB. HPA also lists nuclear membrane and mitotic chromosome signals in ICC-IF, but marks those additional locations uncertain (HPA subcellular). |
| Strong staining in adipocytes or smooth muscle cells while an expected positive area stains appropriately. | Those cells are listed as Not detected in HPA tissue IHC. Consider cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity, and assess an appropriate negative control (general IHC practice). A surprising cell-type result needs independent confirmation: the HPA tissue profile is Supported, with external verification pending (HPA tissue IHC reliability). |
| Diffuse haze across cells, stroma or blank areas obscures cytoplasmic granules. | The expected profile is granular cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC). Diffuse staining that ignores cell boundaries is difficult to score as LACTB; inspect no-primary and detection controls, blocking, washes and chromogen development for nonspecific signal (general IHC practice). |
| No staining in ovarian follicle cells on a section with otherwise interpretable morphology. | Follicle cells are High in the HPA tissue IHC examples, so a blank result calls for a technical check before a biological interpretation. Confirm that the expected cells are present, then review primary-antibody detection, retrieval and the positive-control section (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
💡Expected LACTB appearanceCall a result positive when identifiable ovarian follicle cells show High granular cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC), consistent with mitochondrial LACTB (UniProt P83111; HPA subcellular); dominant nuclear or cell-surface staining is discordant with that pattern (HPA tissue IHC; HPA subcellular).
| Location and topology | LACTB is mitochondrial, with no annotated transmembrane segment (UniProt P83111). HPA describes granular cytoplasmic tissue staining and supports mitochondrial ICC-IF localisation (HPA tissue IHC; HPA subcellular). Chromogenic granularity is a useful pattern check, but it cannot establish mitochondrial colocalisation by itself. |
| Cell-type contrast | HPA lists ovarian follicle cells as High; adipocytes and smooth muscle cells as Not detected (HPA tissue IHC). These examples help compare positive and negative areas. HPA calls the overall tissue profile ubiquitous and its RNA specificity low, so an unlisted tissue is not automatically a negative control (HPA tissue IHC). |
| Skeletal muscle evidence | UniProt describes predominant expression in skeletal muscle, whereas HPA scores skeletal myocytes Low by tissue IHC (UniProt P83111 tissue specificity; HPA tissue IHC). Treat this as a source-specific difference when selecting a control; do not assume myocytes will stain more strongly than HPA's High follicle cells. |
| Antibody and cellular evidence | HPA rates IHC staining with HPA036361 and HPA036362 Supported; HPA036362 also has Supported ICC-IF evidence (HPA antibodies). Supported tissue IHC still carries medium staining–RNA consistency and pending external verification (HPA tissue IHC reliability). These ratings support pattern comparison without guaranteeing every individual specimen. |
| Processing and isoforms | UniProt lists two isoforms and a mature chain spanning residues 116–547 (UniProt P83111). No epitope position is supplied here, so these annotations cannot predict which isoform an antibody detects or whether processing changes its IHC signal. Interpret unexpected staining through controls and antibody-specific evidence. |
| Situation | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| The ovarian follicle-cell positive control is blank. | HPA lists these cells as High, making a wholly blank control inconsistent with its reported pattern (HPA tissue IHC); the failed step is undetermined. | Check that follicle cells are present, then review primary-antibody application, retrieval, detection and chromogen performance with suitable controls (general IHC practice). Do not infer LACTB absence from this run. |
| Staining is uniformly dark and granules cannot be resolved. | The result no longer permits comparison with HPA's granular cytoplasmic profile (HPA tissue IHC); excess background or development is possible (general IHC practice). | Inspect a no-primary control, blocking and wash performance, and chromogen development; adjust the general IHC workflow until cell-associated granules can be distinguished. |
| A nuclear pattern dominates the section. | The dominant pattern differs from supported mitochondrial localisation (HPA subcellular). Additional nuclear-associated ICC-IF locations are marked uncertain, so they do not establish the expected IHC pattern (HPA subcellular). | Compare cytoplasm and nuclei in the expected positive cells, examine negative controls, and seek independent localisation evidence before scoring nuclear staining as LACTB. |
| Adipocytes or smooth muscle cells stain strongly. | Both are Not detected in the listed HPA tissue IHC observations; nonspecific binding or endogenous detection activity may account for the signal (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). | Compare the unexpected cells with a positive area and detection controls. If staining persists, document the disagreement and confirm it independently before treating it as a new cell-type pattern. |
| Skeletal myocytes stain weakly despite the UniProt expression statement. | HPA scores skeletal myocytes Low by IHC, while UniProt says LACTB is expressed predominantly in skeletal muscle (HPA tissue IHC; UniProt P83111 tissue specificity). | Use the HPA cell-level IHC score when judging this slide; compare with the listed High follicle-cell example before troubleshooting a weak myocyte signal. |
| Can this IHC pattern determine what to expect in IF/ICC? | HPA supports mitochondrial ICC-IF localisation; its additional nuclear membrane, mitotic chromosome and cytosol locations are uncertain (HPA subcellular). IHC granules do not themselves resolve organelles. | Use the separate IF/ICC guide for that application. Treat mitochondrial localisation as the supported comparison and assess any additional compartment cautiously (HPA subcellular). |
Experiment evidence
IHC & IF images showing LACTB staining
A13145-1 · IHCIHC analysis of LACTB using anti-LACTB antibody (A13145-1). LACTB was detected in a paraffin-embedded section of human liver cancer tissue.
A13145-1 · IFIF analysis of LACTB using anti-LACTB antibody (A13145-1). LACTB was detected in an immunocytochemical section of A431 cells. Enzyme antigen
HPA · Cerebral cortexHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Cerebral cortex. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000103642-LACTB/tissue/cerebral+cortex#imid_9495740
HPA · ColonHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Colon. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000103642-LACTB/tissue/colon#imid_9495674
HPA · LiverHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Liver. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000103642-LACTB/tissue/liver#imid_9495675
HPA · KidneyHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Kidney. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000103642-LACTB/tissue/kidney#imid_9495676
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody HPA036362; green = LACTB, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody HPA036362; green = LACTB, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
← swipe / scroll for more images →
Real IHC / IF data behind the staining-pattern expectations in this section.
Sample controls for LACTB IHC & IF
🧪Run ovary first and score follicle cells for staining (HPA: High in ovary follicle cells). Use adipose tissue adipocytes as the negative tissue (HPA: Not detected in adipocytes); on the ovary slide, cells outside the follicle-cell compartment should show only background-level signal in the no-primary control, without assuming they are biologically LACTB-negative (standard IHC practice).
Positive control tissue: Ovary (Follicle cells, HPA High)
Negative control tissue: Adipose tissue (HPA Not detected)
ICC-IF cell lines (HPA subcellular resource): HPA ICC-IF images show LACTB in A-431, U-251MG, U2OS, KOLF2.1J, with annotated localisation: Mitochondria (supported) (HPA subcellular).
Technical controls: Include no-primary/secondary-only and host-species- and isotype-matched control immunoglobulin controls, plus LACTB-knockout material or a validated peptide-block control (standard IHC practice; caption: rabbit anti-LACTB). Quench endogenous peroxidase and assess endogenous biotin when using the caption’s streptavidin–biotin/DAB detection; for IF, assess tissue autofluorescence with a no-primary control (selected IHC caption: SABC with DAB; standard IHC/IF practice).
⚠️Feasibility: A target-specific fixation window or fixation effect is unreported, and the selected A13145-1 paraffin-section caption does not state the fixative (selected IHC caption: fixative unreported). The caption reports heat retrieval in EDTA at pH 8.0, so verify retrieval for the chosen specimen preparation (selected IHC caption: EDTA retrieval). The supplied evidence does not establish that frozen sections or IF are easier; ovarian sections should be checked for detection-system background, particularly endogenous peroxidase or biotin with the caption’s DAB/SABC method (HPA: High in ovary follicle cells; selected IHC caption: SABC with DAB; standard IHC practice).
HPA tissue IHC evidence for LACTB
Comprehensive Human Protein Atlas IHC scoring per tissue (reliability: Supported — Medium consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression data. Pending external verification.). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ovary | Follicle cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| 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 → |
Section 3
Advanced LACTB IHC Tips
Use the selected paraffin-section IHC example as the starting point, then assess compartment, controls, and scoring in matched sections (datasheet A13145-1).
Which retrieval condition should I start with for LACTB in paraffin sections?
Start with heat-mediated retrieval in EDTA at pH 8.0 for paraffin-section LACTB IHC (datasheet A13145-1). The selected image used that condition before overnight incubation at 4°C with 2 μg/ml catalog antibody (datasheet A13145-1). If staining is weak, compare retrieval duration on matched sections while holding antibody concentration, detection, and exposure to chromogen constant (standard IHC practice). Include a tissue region expected to stain and a no-primary control in the same run to distinguish failed retrieval from background (HPA: high staining in ovarian follicle cells; standard IHC practice). Excessive retrieval can damage morphology, so judge signal alongside tissue preservation (standard IHC practice).
Could fixation explain weak or uneven LACTB staining?
LACTB-specific fixation sensitivity is unknown: the selected paraffin-section caption does not state its fixative (datasheet A13145-1). Record each specimen’s fixative, fixation duration, processing history, and section age before comparing staining across cases (standard IHC practice). Test matched sections from the same block with the stated EDTA pH 8.0 retrieval and 2 μg/ml primary condition, then inspect morphology and cytoplasmic granularity together (datasheet A13145-1; HPA: granular cytoplasmic pattern). If fixation histories differ, use an identically processed control block and avoid attributing intensity differences to LACTB biology alone (standard IHC practice). Do not infer a fixation effect from tissue expression patterns or protein modifications (HPA: tissue IHC; UniProt P83111: modified residues).
Where should convincing LACTB chromogenic staining appear?
Expect a granular cytoplasmic pattern in positive cells, consistent with mitochondrial localisation (HPA: tissue IHC and supported mitochondrial localisation; UniProt P83111: mitochondrion). Score staining within identifiable cells rather than treating diffuse extracellular pigment or staining over empty spaces as LACTB signal (standard IHC practice). Ovarian follicle cells provide a reported high-staining reference, while adrenal glandular cells provide a reported medium-staining reference (HPA: tissue IHC). Nuclear membrane, mitotic chromosome, and cytosolic locations have uncertain support, so do not use them alone to validate an unusual chromogenic pattern (HPA: subcellular localisation). Compare granular signal with section morphology and a no-primary control before assigning compartment-specific positivity (standard IHC practice).
Could isoforms or processing alter what this antibody detects in sections?
LACTB has 2 annotated isoforms and a processed chain spanning residues 116–547 (UniProt P83111: isoforms and processing). The supplied evidence does not map this antibody’s epitope, so its recognition of each isoform or processed form cannot be established here (datasheet A13145-1; UniProt P83111). Obtain the immunogen or epitope coordinates before interpreting a negative section as absence of all LACTB forms (standard IHC practice). Check whether those coordinates overlap the processed region or the annotated modified residues at 283, 284, 297, and 342 (UniProt P83111: processing and modified residues). Compare specimens under identical retrieval and detection conditions to limit technical differences in apparent expression (standard IHC practice).
How can IF help assess an ambiguous LACTB IHC pattern?
Use IF/ICC as a separate localisation check when granular chromogenic staining is ambiguous (HPA: granular tissue staining and supported mitochondrial localisation). Multiplex LACTB with an independently validated marker for the cell population under study, such as ovarian follicle cells, and a mitochondrial marker to assess cell identity and compartment (HPA: high staining in follicle cells; HPA: mitochondrial localisation; standard IF practice). Choose spectrally separated fluorophores, including a far-red channel when tissue autofluorescence obscures shorter wavelengths, and collect single-label controls (standard IF practice). LACTB has no annotated transmembrane segment, but its epitope’s membrane-facing side is unspecified; optimise permeabilisation for access to the recognised epitope without assuming its exact position (UniProt P83111: topology; standard IF practice). Keep IF findings distinct from the selected paraffin-section chromogenic result (datasheet A13145-1).
What should I change when LACTB DAB staining is widespread?
First compare the stained section with a no-primary control and inspect whether signal is granular within cells or diffuse across tissue and slide (HPA: granular cytoplasmic pattern; standard IHC practice). The selected procedure used 10% goat serum blocking, 2 μg/ml primary antibody, a biotinylated secondary, a streptavidin–biotin complex, and DAB (datasheet A13145-1). Check endogenous peroxidase blocking and consider endogenous biotin when background persists with this detection chemistry (standard IHC practice; datasheet A13145-1: detection chemistry). Titrate the primary antibody downward from the documented concentration and keep chromogen development consistent across comparisons (datasheet A13145-1; standard IHC practice). Interpret staining at tissue edges, damaged areas, and necrotic regions cautiously (standard IHC practice).
How should I score LACTB across comparable paraffin sections? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the cell population and analysis region before scoring, then exclude folds, edges, necrosis, and poorly preserved areas (standard IHC practice). Record the percentage of cells at each intensity grade and calculate an H-score from 0–300, or report percentage positive cells when intensity grading is unreliable (standard IHC practice). For spatial analyses, report positive-cell density per mm² of viable tissue or the selected compartment and state that denominator explicitly (standard IHC practice). Normalise comparisons to the same cell type, section area, staining run, retrieval, and DAB development conditions (standard IHC practice). Keep granular cytoplasmic signal separate from diffuse background and retain the scoring threshold for all cases (HPA: granular cytoplasmic pattern; standard IHC practice).
How do I distinguish true LACTB staining from artefact?
A credible positive pattern is granular within the cytoplasm of intact cells, matching the supported mitochondrial location (HPA: tissue IHC and subcellular localisation; UniProt P83111: mitochondrion). Compare cell identity with reported staining: ovarian follicle cells are high, whereas adipocytes and smooth muscle cells were not detected in the cited tissue survey (HPA: tissue IHC). Treat signal confined to cut edges, necrotic areas, extracellular material, or a no-primary control as suspect (standard IHC practice). Review endogenous peroxidase and biotin controls when using the selected streptavidin–biotin and DAB workflow (datasheet A13145-1; standard IHC practice). An unexpected nuclear pattern needs independent validation because the reported nuclear membrane and mitotic chromosome localisations are uncertain (HPA: subcellular localisation).
Boster reagents
Best LACTB / Serine beta-lactamase-like protein LACTB, mitochondrial IHC Antibodies
The catalog antibody has IHC data from a human liver cancer paraffin section and IF data from A431 cells; listed reactivity is human (catalog image captions; catalog reactivity).
Real IHC data
Anti-LACTB Antibody ®
Cat # A13145-1
A13145-1 has an IHC image from a paraffin section of human liver cancer tissue (A13145-1 IHC caption). The same SKU has an IF image from A431 cells and lists both IF and ICC applications (A13145-1 IF caption; catalog applications).
Which to pick: Choose A13145-1 for tissue IHC: its own caption documents staining of a human liver cancer paraffin section, with the fixative unreported (A13145-1 IHC caption). For IF/ICC, A13145-1 lists both applications and has an IF image from A431 cells (catalog applications; A13145-1 IF caption). No cross-species choice is supported: the only listed reactivity is human, and clonality is unreported (catalog reactivity; catalog clone field).
Each figure is that product's own IHC / IF validation image from its datasheet.
References
- UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry P83111 (LACTB_HUMAN, Serine beta-lactamase-like protein LACTB, mitochondrial).
- Human Protein Atlas. LACTB tissue IHC expression (reliability: Supported).
- Human Protein Atlas. LACTB subcellular location (ICC-IF): Mainly localized to the mitochondria. In addition localized to the mitotic chromosome, nuclear membrane and cytosol..
- Human Protein Atlas. LACTB antibody validation summary (2 antibodies).
- Study on the regulation of gastric cancer cell apoptosis by LACTB through mitochondrial autophagy pathway. Scientific reports 2025 — PMC12222768.
- LACTB exerts tumor suppressor properties in epithelial ovarian cancer through regulation of Slug. Life science alliance 2023 — PMC9664245.
- LACTB is a tumour suppressor that modulates lipid metabolism and cell state. Nature 2017 — PMC6246920.
- LACTB mRNA expression is increased in pancreatic adenocarcinoma and high expression indicates a poor prognosis. PloS one 2021 — PMC7842907.
- PubMed PMID:12975309 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:14702039 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:15489334 — UniProt-cited evidence.
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for LACTB (Serine beta-lactamase-like protein LACTB, mitochondrial). Expected localisation Granular cytoplasm (HPA tissue IHC); mitochondria (UniProt). Antigen retrieval: EDTA pH 8.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A13145-1). Validated IHC antibody: A13145-1 at 2-5 μg/ml (the product's own IHC validation image is shown). Controls (HPA): positive Ovary (Follicle 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 A13145-1); 2. Fixation: Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A13145-1); 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 A13145-1); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard); 6. Peroxidase block: 3% H2O2, 10 min , room temperature (standard); 7. Blocking: 10% goat serum (datasheet A13145-1); 8. Primary antibody: Rabbit anti-LACTB, 2-5 μg/ml (datasheet A13145-1); 9. Primary incubation: Overnight at 4 °C (datasheet A13145-1). Watch for: Fixation: Keep tissue fixation consistent across sections (standard IHC practice; not target-specific); Caveat: IHC and RNA show medium consistency; verify signals (HPA tissue IHC); Isoform / epitope: 2 isoforms; chain 116–547; epitope coverage unknown (UniProt); Regulation: High in ovarian follicle cells (HPA tissue IHC). Evidence: UniProt P83111, HPA tissue IHC · Supported, HPA ICC-IF · Mainly localized to the mitochondria. In addition localized to the…, Datasheet A13145-1, PMC12222768, PMC9664245. QR code links to https://www.bosterbio.com/bosterbio-gene-info-cards/LACTB/immunohistochemistry-ihc-guide.