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MORC3 / MORC family CW-type zinc finger protein 3 · IHC design guide
Design Immunohistochemistry for MORC3
MORC3 shows nuclear and cytoplasmic tissue staining (HPA tissue IHC), while its nuclear-body localization depends on ATP (UniProt). Use this guide to plan paraffin-section IHC with the catalog antibody at 0.5–1 μg/mL (datasheet A06075-4) and interpret the staining pattern.
Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
MORC3 Immunohistochemistry Experimental Design Guide
Expected localisation, validated protocols, controls and antibodies — the at-a-glance facts below, then the full design guide.
Must know before staining
| Expected localisation | Nuclear and cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Staining pattern | Nuclear and cytoplasmic staining across tissues (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Antigen retrieval | EDTA pH 8.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A06075-4) | |
| Positive control | Adipose tissue+4 more · see all | |
| Negative control | None in HPA (detected in all 45 tissues); use no-primary + isotype controls |
Important caveats
Reasons your staining may differ from the expected pattern.
| Fixation | Keep fixation consistent across paraffin sections. (standard IHC practice; not target-specific) | |
| Caveat | Antibody staining has low consistency with RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Regulation | ATP-dependent nuclear-body formation (UniProt) | |
| Isoform / epitope | No annotated isoforms or processing (UniProt) |
Section 1
Recommended MORC3 IHC & IF Protocols
The catalog antibody uses EDTA pH 8.0 heat retrieval (datasheet A06075-4). The published protocol stains an OSCC tissue microarray (PMC11425343).
| Sample | Paraffin-embedded human mammary cancer tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A06075-4) |
| Fixation | Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A06075-4); 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 A06075-4); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard) |
| Peroxidase block | 3% H2O2, 10 min, room temperature (standard) |
| Blocking | 10% goat serum (datasheet A06075-4) |
| Primary antibody | Rabbit anti-MORC3, 0.5-1μg/ml (datasheet A06075-4) |
| Primary incubation | Overnight at 4 °C (datasheet A06075-4) |
| Detection | Streptavidin-biotin complex (SABC), DAB chromogen (datasheet A06075-4) |
| Counterstain | Hematoxylin, blue, dehydrate and mount (standard) |
| Expected result | MORC3-positive staining in adipocytes of adipose tissue (HPA tissue IHC: High). HPA tissue profile: Nuclear and cytoplasmic expression in all tissues. No signal in the no-primary control. |
💡Decision noteStart with EDTA pH 8.0 heat retrieval (datasheet A06075-4). The published method names a retrieval solution but gives no pH or heating conditions (PMC11425343).
Section 2
What Is the Expected MORC3 Staining Pattern?
MORC3 is a nuclear protein found in the nucleoplasm, nuclear matrix and nuclear bodies (UniProt Q14149 localization); it has no transmembrane segment (UniProt Q14149 topology). In paraffin-section IHC, assess staining in the expected cells, including adipocytes, hematopoietic cells, glandular cells and neurons (HPA tissue IHC: High). HPA reports nuclear and cytoplasmic staining across tissues, but rates its IHC evidence Approved with low consistency between staining and RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC).
| Nuclei stain in expected cells, with occasional discrete nuclear foci. | Nuclear staining fits MORC3's nucleoplasmic, nuclear-matrix and nuclear-body locations (UniProt Q14149 localization). Foci are plausible, but their visibility need not be uniform: localization to nuclear bodies is ATP-dependent (UniProt Q14149 localization). Judge the result against cell identity and background across the section, not foci alone. |
| Cytoplasm stains strongly while nuclei remain unstained. | Treat a cytoplasmic-only result as suspect and check detection background and section quality. UniProt places MORC3 in nuclear compartments (UniProt Q14149 localization), although HPA reports nuclear and cytoplasmic tissue IHC (HPA tissue IHC). Cytoplasmic staining alone cannot establish specific MORC3 detection. |
| Signal predominates in cells outside the expected population within a selected tissue. | Compare neighboring cell types and controls before assigning MORC3 expression. The supplied high-staining examples name adipocytes, hematopoietic cells, glandular cells and neurons (HPA tissue IHC: High); staining elsewhere could reflect cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity (general IHC practice). HPA's broad tissue profile is not a cell-by-cell exclusion list (HPA tissue IHC). |
| Color is widespread over tissue and blank areas, obscuring nuclei. | This is diffuse background rather than an interpretable compartment pattern (general IHC practice). Check a no-primary control for endogenous detection activity or nonspecific reagent signal, then reassess the nuclear pattern expected from UniProt (UniProt Q14149 localization). |
| No signal appears in a supplied high-staining tissue. | A blank result in adipose tissue, bone marrow or cerebral cortex conflicts with HPA's High staining examples (HPA tissue IHC: High). First check tissue preservation, detection and controls as general IHC workflow steps; one negative section does not overturn the reference pattern, especially given low staining–RNA consistency (HPA tissue IHC). |
💡Expected MORC3 appearanceCall IHC positive when expected cells show interpretable nuclear staining, potentially with nuclear foci, and a clear compartment pattern; HPA lists High staining in selected adipocytes, hematopoietic cells, glandular cells and neurons (HPA tissue IHC: High), while cytoplasmic-only or diffuse color without convincing nuclei warrants investigation (UniProt Q14149 localization; general IHC practice).
| Reference compartment and topology | MORC3 is nucleoplasmic, nuclear-matrix and nuclear-body associated, with no transmembrane segment (UniProt Q14149 localization and topology). Prioritize nuclear morphology when scoring. HPA's tissue IHC profile also reports cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC), so record that component separately rather than assuming every cytoplasmic signal is specific. |
| Tissue evidence and reliability | HPA lists High staining in adipocytes, adrenal and breast glandular cells, bone-marrow hematopoietic cells, bronchial epithelial cells and neurons in sampled brain regions (HPA tissue IHC: High). Its IHC reliability is Approved, with low consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC); use these examples as comparisons, not absolute positive or negative controls. |
| Nuclear-body behavior | MORC3 forms nuclear bodies through an ATP-dependent mechanism and also occurs in PML-independent bodies (UniProt Q14149 localization and function). Fine nuclear puncta may fit the reference biology. Their presence or absence on a chromogenic section cannot, by itself, verify identity or exclude expression. |
| Antibody validation | The listed IHC antibody HPA018406 is Approved for IHC, while the separate antibody HPA034848 is Enhanced for ICC (HPA antibodies). These designations apply to their stated applications; the ICC status does not validate an IHC result obtained with another antibody. |
| IF/ICC Q&A: should mitochondrial signal count? | HPA's ICC-IF main location is enhanced nucleoplasm; its additional mitochondrial location is uncertain (HPA subcellular). Score a clear nuclear result first and treat mitochondrial-only fluorescence as unresolved. This IF/ICC observation does not provide a paraffin-IHC protocol or establish mitochondrial staining in tissue. |
| Situation | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Cytoplasmic color dominates with little nuclear signal. | The compartment balance conflicts with UniProt's nuclear localization, despite HPA's reported cytoplasmic tissue staining (UniProt Q14149 localization; HPA tissue IHC). | Review nuclear counterstain and a no-primary control, then report nuclear and cytoplasmic components separately (general IHC practice). Avoid calling cytoplasmic-only color a confirmed MORC3 pattern. |
| Unexpected cells are the strongest stained population. | Cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity is possible (general IHC practice); HPA's High entries identify specific cell populations within sampled tissues (HPA tissue IHC: High). | Identify the stained cells morphologically and compare them with adjacent expected cells and a no-primary control (general IHC practice). Record the discrepancy rather than assigning a new MORC3-positive population from this section alone. |
| Diffuse color covers tissue or blank regions. | Nonspecific reagent signal or endogenous detection activity can obscure cellular localization (general IHC practice). | Use a no-primary control, check blocking and detection steps, and adjust the general IHC workflow as needed; interpret MORC3 only after nuclei can be distinguished (general IHC practice; UniProt Q14149 localization). |
| A supplied high-staining tissue has no interpretable signal. | The section or detection workflow may have failed; HPA reports High staining in examples including adipocytes and bone-marrow hematopoietic cells (HPA tissue IHC: High). | Check tissue integrity, counterstain and a working positive control, then repeat the IHC workflow if needed (general IHC practice). Do not infer a MORC3-specific fixation effect; none is established by the supplied sources. |
| Nuclei stain, but no distinct nuclear foci are visible. | MORC3 also occupies the nucleoplasm and nuclear matrix, while localization to nuclear bodies is ATP-dependent (UniProt Q14149 localization). | Assess the overall nuclear pattern, cell identity and background. Do not reject an otherwise credible result solely because chromogenic staining does not resolve puncta (UniProt Q14149 localization; general IHC practice). |
| ICC-IF shows mitochondrial-only fluorescence. | HPA calls mitochondrial localization uncertain and nucleoplasm the enhanced main location (HPA subcellular). | Treat the mitochondrial-only result as unresolved, verify nuclear morphology and controls, and consult the separate IF/ICC guide for that application (HPA subcellular; general IF practice). |
Experiment evidence
IHC & IF images showing MORC3 staining
A06075-4 · IHCIHC analysis of MORC3 using anti-MORC3 antibody (A06075-4). MORC3 was detected in paraffin-embedded section of human mammary cancer tissue.
A06075-4 · IHCIHC analysis of MORC3 using anti-MORC3 antibody (A06075-4). MORC3 was detected in paraffin-embedded section of human rectal cancer tissue. H
A06075-4 · IFIF analysis of MORC3 using anti-MORC3 antibody (A06075-4). MORC3 was detected in immunocytochemical section of A431 cells. Enzyme antigen re
HPA · Cerebral cortexHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Cerebral cortex. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000159256-MORC3/tissue/cerebral+cortex#imid_4882288
HPA · ColonHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Colon. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000159256-MORC3/tissue/colon#imid_4882198
HPA · LiverHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Liver. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000159256-MORC3/tissue/liver#imid_4882199
HPA · KidneyHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Kidney. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000159256-MORC3/tissue/kidney#imid_4882200
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody HPA034848; green = MORC3, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody HPA034848; green = MORC3, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
← swipe / scroll for more images →
Real IHC / IF data behind the staining-pattern expectations in this section.
Sample controls for MORC3 IHC & IF
🧪Run adipose tissue first and expect nuclear staining in adipocytes (HPA: High in adipocytes; UniProt Q14149: nuclear localization). HPA detects MORC3 in all 45 scored tissues, so no negative tissue is designated; use no-primary and isotype controls, and treat neighboring cells with counterstained nuclei but no nuclear chromogen as provisional internal negatives (HPA: detected in all 45 scored tissues; UniProt Q14149: nuclear localization).
Positive control tissue: Adipose tissue (Adipocytes, HPA High)
Negative control tissue: None in HPA: MORC3 is detected in all 45 scored tissues. Use a no-primary (secondary-only) and an isotype control instead.
ICC-IF cell lines (HPA subcellular resource): HPA ICC-IF images show MORC3 in A-431, U-251MG, U2OS, HeLa BAC 4679, HeLa , NIH 3T3, with annotated localisation: Nucleoplasm (enhanced) (HPA subcellular).
Technical controls: Include a no-primary, secondary-only slide; a nonimmune rabbit IgG isotype control matched to the primary antibody’s class and clonality where known; and MORC3 knockout material as a biological negative if available (caption: rabbit primary; standard IHC controls). For adipose sections developed with SABC and DAB, quench endogenous peroxidase and assess endogenous biotin background (HPA: adipose tissue positive; caption: SABC-DAB detection).
⚠️Feasibility: A target-specific fixation window or fixation effect is unreported, and the selected A06075-4 paraffin-section caption does not state the fixative (caption: fixative not stated). The caption uses heat retrieval in EDTA at pH 8.0, but it does not establish that retrieval is required (caption: EDTA pH 8.0). HPA has ICC-IF images, but the supplied evidence does not show that IF or frozen sections are easier than paraffin IHC; in adipose tissue, assess nonspecific signal in lipid-rich areas against the controls (HPA: ICC-IF images and High in adipocytes; standard IHC practice).
HPA tissue IHC evidence for MORC3
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adipose tissue | Adipocytes | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Adrenal gland | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Bone marrow | Hematopoietic cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Breast | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Bronchus | Respiratory epithelial cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Undetected expression · recommended negative controls
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None in HPA: MORC3 is detected in all 45 scored tissues. Use a no-primary (secondary-only) and an isotype control instead. | ||||
Section 3
Advanced MORC3 IHC Tips
Troubleshoot MORC3 staining in paraffin sections by checking retrieval, nuclear localisation, controls and scoring before interpreting the chromogenic signal.
What retrieval should I try first when MORC3 staining is weak?
Start with heat-mediated antigen retrieval in EDTA at pH 8.0 for paraffin sections (datasheet A06075-4). Keep heating and cooling conditions consistent across sections so a change in nuclear staining can be attributed to the retrieval trial (standard IHC practice). The documented tissue image used 1 μg/ml primary antibody overnight at 4°C after retrieval, which provides a useful starting condition for comparison (A06075-4 tissue-IHC caption). If staining remains weak, vary retrieval heating time on adjacent sections and assess both nuclear signal and tissue damage before changing antibody concentration (standard IHC practice).
Could fixation explain weak or uneven MORC3 staining?
MORC3-specific sensitivity to fixation is unknown because the selected paraffin-section caption does not report a fixative (A06075-4 tissue-IHC caption). Record the actual fixation conditions for each specimen, then compare sections processed and stained together before assigning a weak result to the antibody (standard IHC practice). Check whether staining changes with section depth or shows poor nuclear detail, and review tissue morphology alongside the chromogenic signal (standard IHC practice). Keep retrieval at EDTA pH 8.0 during that comparison, so fixation and retrieval are not varied simultaneously (datasheet A06075-4; standard IHC practice).
Where should convincing MORC3 staining appear in tissue sections?
Prioritise nuclear staining: MORC3 is reported in the nucleoplasm, nuclear matrix and nuclear bodies, including PML bodies (UniProt Q14149 subcellular localisation). A punctate nuclear pattern can be plausible because its localisation to nuclear bodies is ATP-dependent, but chromogenic resolution may not distinguish individual bodies (UniProt Q14149 subcellular localisation; standard IHC practice). HPA reports nuclear and cytoplasmic tissue staining, while its subcellular assessment identifies nucleoplasm as the enhanced main location (HPA tissue IHC; HPA subcellular). Score nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments separately, and require supporting controls before interpreting cytoplasm-only staining as MORC3 (standard IHC practice).
How can an unknown epitope affect MORC3 IHC interpretation?
The supplied record lists 0 annotated isoforms and a single 1–939 chain, but it does not identify this antibody’s epitope (UniProt Q14149 processing and isoforms; A06075-4 tissue-IHC caption). Therefore, a changed staining pattern cannot be assigned to an isoform or epitope loss from these data alone (UniProt Q14149 record; standard IHC interpretation). MORC3 has reported phosphoserines at residues 503, 514, 540, 560 and 765, although their effect on this antibody’s staining is unreported (UniProt Q14149 modified residues). If results conflict, compare the same compartments with an independently characterised epitope reagent and appropriate controls (standard IHC practice).
How should I investigate MORC3 localisation with multiplex IF?
Use a separately validated IF/ICC antibody and pair MORC3 with a marker for the cell type being assessed, so nuclear signal can be assigned to the right cells (standard IF practice). HPA reports enhanced nucleoplasmic localisation and an uncertain additional mitochondrial location, so include a nuclear counterstain and assess apparent mitochondrial overlap cautiously (HPA subcellular). Choose a fluorophore channel with low specimen autofluorescence, often a far-red channel, and inspect an unstained section before interpreting faint signal (standard IF practice). Because MORC3 has no transmembrane segment and is predominantly nuclear, optimise permeabilisation for access to the nuclear compartment while preserving morphology (UniProt Q14149 topology and subcellular localisation; standard IF practice).
How do I reduce diffuse or false chromogenic MORC3 signal?
Inspect a section processed without primary antibody to identify detection-system and tissue background before adjusting the MORC3 primary incubation (standard IHC practice). Block endogenous peroxidase for DAB detection and check that the block does not damage morphology (standard chromogenic IHC practice). The documented paraffin-section procedure used 10% goat serum blocking, 1 μg/ml primary antibody overnight at 4°C, and a biotin-based detection system (A06075-4 tissue-IHC caption). If background persists, compare a primary-antibody titration on matched sections and examine whether signal follows section edges, necrosis or nonspecific cytoplasmic deposits rather than nuclei (standard IHC practice; UniProt Q14149 subcellular localisation).
What is a defensible way to score MORC3 IHC? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the cell population and score nuclear staining separately from cytoplasmic staining, because nucleoplasm is MORC3’s principal reported subcellular location (HPA subcellular; UniProt Q14149 subcellular localisation). For chromogenic sections, report either the percentage of positive nuclei or an H-score based on the percentage of cells at each intensity; use positive nuclei per mm² when cell density is the question (standard IHC practice). Normalise counts to viable tissue area or the number of evaluable cells in the same annotated compartment (standard IHC practice). Keep retrieval, detection and scoring thresholds constant across comparisons, and document excluded necrotic or damaged areas (standard IHC practice).
When is apparent MORC3 positivity likely to be artefact?
Treat reproducible nuclear signal in intact cells as more consistent with MORC3 than staining confined to debris or section edges, given its reported nucleoplasmic and nuclear-body localisation (UniProt Q14149 subcellular localisation; standard IHC interpretation). Check cell identity against morphology: HPA reports high staining in breast glandular cells, among other listed populations, but also reports low consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC). Review necrotic areas and the no-primary control for trapped chromogen or endogenous enzyme signal (standard chromogenic IHC practice). A cytoplasm-only or unexpected-cell pattern needs independent validation before it is interpreted biologically (HPA tissue IHC; standard IHC interpretation).
Boster reagents
Best MORC3 / MORC family CW-type zinc finger protein 3 IHC Antibodies
The IHC-validated antibody has paraffin-section IHC images from human mammary and rectal cancer tissue and an IF image from A431 cells (catalog image captions). Human, mouse and rat reactivity is listed (catalog reactivity).
Real IHC data
Anti-MORC3 Antibody ®
Cat # A06075-4
A06075-4 will render with its own IHC image from a paraffin section of human mammary cancer tissue (A06075-4 IHC image caption). The catalog also shows IHC in human rectal cancer tissue and IF in A431 cells; IHC, IF and ICC are listed applications (A06075-4 image captions and applications).
Which to pick: Choose A06075-4 for paraffin-section tissue IHC: its IHC caption documents EDTA retrieval at pH 8.0 and 1 μg/ml primary antibody, but does not report the fixative (A06075-4 IHC image caption). The same SKU is listed for IF/ICC and has an IF image from A431 cells at 2 μg/ml (A06075-4 applications and IF image caption). It is also listed as reactive with human, mouse and rat, although the supplied IHC images show human tissue only; its clonality is unreported (A06075-4 reactivity, IHC image captions and catalog clone field).
Each figure is that product's own IHC / IF validation image from its datasheet.
References
- UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry Q14149 (MORC3_HUMAN, MORC family CW-type zinc finger protein 3).
- Human Protein Atlas. MORC3 tissue IHC expression (reliability: Approved).
- Human Protein Atlas. MORC3 subcellular location (ICC-IF): Localized to the nucleoplasm. In addition localized to the mitochondria..
- Human Protein Atlas. MORC3 antibody validation summary (2 antibodies).
- MORC3, a novel MIWI2 association partner, as an epigenetic regulator of piRNA dependent transposon silencing in male germ cells. Scientific reports 2021 — PMC8516955.
- Genome-wide analysis reveals the MORC3-mediated repression of PD-L1 expression in head and neck cancer. Frontiers in cell and developmental biology 2024 — PMC11425343.
- PubMed PMID:8590280 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:14702039 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:10830953 — UniProt-cited evidence.
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for MORC3 (MORC family CW-type zinc finger protein 3). Expected localisation Nuclear and cytoplasmic staining (HPA tissue IHC). Antigen retrieval: EDTA pH 8.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A06075-4). Validated IHC antibody: A06075-4 at 0.5-1μg/ml (the product's own IHC validation image is shown). Controls (HPA): positive Adipose tissue (Adipocytes); negative None in HPA (detected in all 45 tissues); use no-primary + isotype controls. IHC-P workflow on paraffin sections; fixative unspecified. Protocol steps: 1. Sample: Paraffin-embedded human mammary cancer tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A06075-4); 2. Fixation: Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A06075-4); 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 A06075-4); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard); 6. Peroxidase block: 3% H2O2, 10 min , room temperature (standard); 7. Blocking: 10% goat serum (datasheet A06075-4); 8. Primary antibody: Rabbit anti-MORC3, 0.5-1μg/ml (datasheet A06075-4); 9. Primary incubation: Overnight at 4 °C (datasheet A06075-4). Watch for: Fixation: Keep fixation consistent across paraffin sections. (standard IHC practice; not target-specific); Caveat: Antibody staining has low consistency with RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC); Isoform / epitope: No annotated isoforms or processing (UniProt); Regulation: ATP-dependent nuclear-body formation (UniProt). Evidence: UniProt Q14149, HPA tissue IHC · Approved, HPA ICC-IF · nucleoplasm. In addition localized to the mitochondria., Datasheet A06075-4, PMC11425343. QR code links to https://www.bosterbio.com/bosterbio-gene-info-cards/MORC3/immunohistochemistry-ihc-guide.