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MPC1 / Mitochondrial pyruvate carrier 1 · IHC design guide
Design Immunohistochemistry for MPC1
Plan chromogenic IHC on paraffin sections using the catalog antibody at 1:100–1:300 (datasheet: IHC dilution). Use heart cardiomyocytes as a high-staining reference and assess granular cytoplasmic signal (HPA tissue IHC).
Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
MPC1 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); mitochondrial inner membrane (UniProt) | |
| Staining pattern | Granular cytoplasmic staining across cell types (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Antigen retrieval | Citrate pH 6.0 HIER, 95–98 °C, 20 min (rule: cytoplasmic / membrane antigen) | |
| Positive control | Appendix+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 | Matched tissue-IHC evidence does not establish the fixation claim. Validate the specimen-specific method before use. (selected-SKU IHC image A30578) | |
| Caveat | Antibody staining and RNA show medium consistency (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Regulation | Regulation of expression is not annotated (UniProt) | |
| Isoform / epitope | No isoforms annotated; mature chain spans residues 2–109 (UniProt) |
Section 1
Recommended MPC1 IHC & IF Protocols
Compare the catalog antibody’s IHC-P protocol with four published MPC1 staining workflows (PMC5112705; PMC7362444; PMC10804966; PMC11448267).
| Sample | Paraffin-embedded human heart tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A30578) |
| Fixation | Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A30578); verify before use. |
| Sectioning | 4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard) |
| Deparaffinisation | Xylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard) |
| Antigen retrieval | Heat-induced epitope retrieval in citrate buffer, pH 6.0, 20 min at 95–98 °C (standard rule: cytoplasmic / membrane antigen) |
| 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-MPC1, 1:100 - 1:300 (datasheet A30578) |
| 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 | MPC1-positive staining in glandular cells of appendix (HPA tissue IHC: High). HPA tissue profile: General cytoplasmic expression with a granular pattern. No signal in the no-primary control. |
💡Decision noteStart with citrate pH 6.0 HIER at 95–98 °C for 20 min (page retrieval rule), then optimize for the specimen and antibody.
Section 2
What Is the Expected MPC1 Staining Pattern?
MPC1 resides in the mitochondrial inner membrane, with 3 transmembrane segments (UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology). In paraffin sections, expect granular cytoplasmic staining rather than a resolvable inner-membrane outline (HPA tissue IHC; UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology). HPA reports High staining in several cell populations, including cardiomyocytes and kidney collecting ducts; its tissue IHC reliability is Enhanced, with medium consistency between staining and RNA data (HPA tissue IHC).
| Granular cytoplasmic staining in cardiomyocytes or kidney collecting ducts (HPA tissue IHC). | This matches HPA's High staining in those cells and its general granular cytoplasmic profile (HPA tissue IHC). The puncta are consistent with mitochondrial localization; chromogenic IHC cannot resolve which mitochondrial membrane contains MPC1 (UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology; general IHC practice). |
| Predominantly nuclear, sharply membranous, or uniformly diffuse staining replaces cytoplasmic granules (HPA tissue IHC). | Treat a dominant wrong-compartment pattern as suspect: UniProt places MPC1 in the mitochondrial inner membrane, and HPA describes granular cytoplasmic tissue staining (UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology; HPA tissue IHC). Check staining controls before assigning biological meaning (general IHC practice). |
| Strong staining appears in a cell population where HPA reports Low staining, such as adipocytes (HPA tissue IHC). | That discrepancy warrants checking cell identification and detection controls; cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity are possible explanations (general IHC practice). HPA's Low category is not a validated negative, so intensity alone does not prove a false positive (HPA tissue IHC). |
| Diffuse chromogen covers tissue and obscures cell boundaries or the expected granules (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). | The section cannot be scored confidently for MPC1 localization when background overwhelms the granular pattern (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). Consider excess antibody, incomplete blocking, or detection background as general IHC possibilities (general IHC practice). |
| No staining is visible in a section containing cardiomyocytes or kidney collecting ducts (HPA tissue IHC). | HPA reports High staining in these cells, so an absent result calls for a technical check before a biological conclusion (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). Confirm tissue integrity, retrieval, antibody application, and detection using appropriate controls (general IHC practice). |
💡Expected MPC1 appearanceCall a positive result when the expected cells show distinct granular cytoplasmic staining—potentially High in cardiomyocytes or collecting ducts—with limited background; dominant nuclear staining or uniform chromogen is suspect (HPA tissue IHC; UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology; general IHC practice).
| Subcellular location and topology (UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology). | MPC1 is an inner-membrane protein with 3 transmembrane segments (UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology). Score the visible granular cytoplasmic pattern in IHC; do not claim that light microscopy resolves its inner-membrane position (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
| Tissue and cell-type variation (HPA tissue IHC). | HPA reports High staining in appendix and colon glandular cells, bronchial respiratory epithelium, cardiomyocytes, and collecting ducts, while adipocytes and smooth muscle cells are Low (HPA tissue IHC). Choose comparisons by cell type; Low does not mean absent (HPA tissue IHC). |
| Evidence and antibody validation (HPA tissue IHC; HPA antibodies). | HPA assigns tissue staining Enhanced reliability but reports only medium staining–RNA consistency (HPA tissue IHC). HPA045119 has Enhanced IHC validation; HPA055790 has no stated IHC validation in the supplied antibody record (HPA antibodies). Neither designation guarantees a result for every specimen (general IHC practice). |
| Processing and epitope uncertainty (UniProt Q9Y5U8 processing; topology). | UniProt annotates an MPC1 chain spanning residues 2–109, with no signal peptide or propeptide, and lists matrix- and intermembrane-facing segments (UniProt Q9Y5U8 processing; topology). An antibody's epitope is unspecified here, so these annotations cannot predict its retrieval requirement or fixation sensitivity (UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology; general IHC practice). |
| Situation | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Expected cells are blank despite a working counterstain (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). | The result conflicts with HPA's High staining in cardiomyocytes and collecting ducts; the counterstain alone does not verify antigen detection (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). | Check the assay's positive control and antibody and detection steps, then assess retrieval under the applicable IHC procedure (general IHC practice). |
| Granules are faint and hard to distinguish from background (HPA tissue IHC). | Low contrast can obscure HPA's granular cytoplasmic pattern; the supplied sources do not establish an MPC1-specific fixation effect (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). | Compare the expected cell population with nearby background and a positive control; review antibody dilution and development conditions within the validated IHC workflow (general IHC practice). |
| Chromogen is widespread, including in unexpected cells (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). | Nonspecific antibody staining or endogenous detection activity may contribute; staining outside HPA's reported pattern is a prompt to investigate, not proof of cross-reactivity (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). | Review blocking and detection controls; for peroxidase detection, check the endogenous-peroxidase control and blocking step (general IHC practice). |
| A strong nuclear or cell-surface pattern dominates (HPA tissue IHC). | That localization conflicts with the reported granular cytoplasmic IHC profile and mitochondrial inner-membrane assignment (HPA tissue IHC; UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology). | Verify the correct primary antibody and controls, and interpret the section only after the expected cytoplasmic pattern is distinguishable (general IHC practice). |
| A purported negative tissue shows staining (HPA tissue IHC). | The supplied HPA record lists Low cell populations but no negative tissue or cell population; Low is an unsuitable absence-of-signal standard (HPA tissue IHC). | Reclassify that sample as a low-expression comparison and use appropriate assay controls to assess specificity (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
| IF/ICC Q: What localization should a separate IF/ICC experiment show (HPA subcellular ICC-IF)? | MPC1 is assigned mainly to mitochondria by HPA ICC-IF, consistent with its inner-membrane location in UniProt (HPA subcellular ICC-IF; UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology). | A: Expect predominantly mitochondrial signal; HPA also reports principal-piece localization in its ICC-IF record (HPA subcellular ICC-IF). Interpret IF/ICC with its separate guide and validation context (HPA subcellular ICC-IF; general IF practice). |
Experiment evidence
IHC & IF images showing MPC1 staining
A30578 · IHCImmunohistochemistry analysis of paraffin-embedded human heart tissue, using BRP44L Antibody. The picture on the right is blocked with the s
A30578 · IFImmunofluorescence analysis of Hela cell. 1,Brp44L Polyclonal Antibody(green) was diluted at 1:200(4° overnight). (red) was diluted at 1:200
HPA · Cerebral cortexHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Cerebral cortex. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000060762-MPC1/tissue/cerebral+cortex#imid_12147257
HPA · ColonHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Colon. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000060762-MPC1/tissue/colon#imid_12147191
HPA · LiverHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Liver. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000060762-MPC1/tissue/liver#imid_12147184
HPA · KidneyHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Kidney. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000060762-MPC1/tissue/kidney#imid_12147201
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody HPA045119; green = MPC1, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody HPA045119; green = MPC1, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
← swipe / scroll for more images →
Real IHC / IF data behind the staining-pattern expectations in this section.
Sample controls for MPC1 IHC & IF
🧪Run colon first: glandular cells should stain for MPC1 (HPA: High in colon glandular cells). HPA detects MPC1 in all 45 scored tissues, so use no-primary and isotype controls for the negative; any unstained cells on the positive slide should remain at background, but no cell type is established as an internal biological negative (HPA: no negative tissue rows).
Positive control tissue: Appendix (Glandular cells, HPA High)
Negative control tissue: None in HPA: MPC1 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 MPC1 in A-431, U-251MG, U2OS, Sperm, with annotated localisation: Mitochondria (enhanced) (HPA subcellular).
Technical controls: Include a no-primary (secondary-only) slide, an isotype control matched to the primary antibody’s host species and clonality, and a biological negative such as MPC1 knockout material or peptide blocking (standard IHC practice; A30578 tissue-IHC caption: peptide block). For chromogenic colon IHC, quench endogenous peroxidase and compare glandular staining with the negative controls (standard IHC practice).
⚠️Feasibility: No target-specific fixation window or fixation effect is reported in the supplied evidence; the A30578 paraffin-section heart caption does not state a fixative (A30578 tissue-IHC caption). Antigen-retrieval dependence is unreported, so optimize retrieval empirically for paraffin IHC (standard IHC practice). IF/ICC images support mitochondrial localization, but the evidence does not establish that IF or frozen sections are easier; in colon, assess luminal debris against the control slides when interpreting glandular staining (HPA: mitochondria enhanced; standard IHC practice).
HPA tissue IHC evidence for MPC1
Comprehensive Human Protein Atlas IHC scoring per tissue (reliability: Enhanced — Medium consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression data.). Rows are taken directly from the HPA tissue chart — click any row's HPA link to view the source.
Positive expression · recommended positive controls
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appendix | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Bronchus | Respiratory epithelial cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Cerebellum | Cells in granular layer | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Colon | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Duodenum | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Undetected expression · recommended negative controls
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None in HPA: MPC1 is detected in all 45 scored tissues. Use a no-primary (secondary-only) and an isotype control instead. | ||||
Section 3
Advanced MPC1 IHC Tips
Troubleshooting MPC1 staining in paraffin sections requires attention to retrieval, mitochondrial localisation and cell specific controls (UniProt Q9Y5U8; HPA tissue IHC).
How should I retrieve MPC1 in paraffin sections when staining is weak?
Start with citrate buffer at pH 6.0 for heat induced retrieval at 95–98 °C for 20 min (page retrieval rule: cytoplasmic or membrane antigen). Allow sections to cool in buffer, then compare staining with a matched control section processed through the same retrieval and chromogenic detection steps (standard IHC practice). Weak staining could reflect limited access to MPC1, which has 3 transmembrane segments in the mitochondrial inner membrane; this topology alone does not establish an optimal retrieval condition (UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology). If signal remains weak, test a different retrieval condition on adjacent sections while checking whether background rises (standard IHC practice).
Could fixation explain weak or uneven MPC1 staining?
Target specific fixation sensitivity for MPC1 is unknown from the supplied evidence; the catalog image identifies paraffin embedded human heart but does not state its fixative (A30578 tissue IHC caption). Record the actual fixative, fixation duration and section thickness for each specimen, then compare sections processed together before changing the staining protocol (standard IHC practice). If fixation varies across a series, optimise retrieval on representative sections and keep the chosen conditions constant during comparison (standard IHC practice). Do not infer fixation tolerance from MPC1’s 3 transmembrane segments or its annotated acetylation sites; neither establishes how its IHC epitope responds to fixation (UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology and modified residues).
What staining pattern is plausible for MPC1 in chromogenic IHC?
Look for granular cytoplasmic staining consistent with mitochondria, while recognising that chromogenic IHC cannot resolve the mitochondrial inner membrane directly (HPA tissue IHC: general granular cytoplasmic pattern; UniProt Q9Y5U8: inner membrane). MPC1 spans that membrane 3 times, so a convincing pattern should be assessed within cell outlines rather than judged from diffuse tissue colour alone (UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology; standard IHC interpretation). Cardiomyocytes are a useful positive reference because the selected catalog image shows paraffin embedded human heart and HPA reports high cardiomyocyte staining (A30578 tissue IHC caption; HPA: High in cardiomyocytes). Check nuclear, luminal and extracellular colour against control sections before calling those patterns MPC1 localisation (standard IHC practice).
How can epitope uncertainty affect MPC1 staining?
The supplied record annotates 0 isoforms and gives no antibody epitope sequence, so an isoform specific interpretation is unsupported (UniProt Q9Y5U8 record; A30578 tissue IHC caption). MPC1 has matrix facing and intermembrane space facing stretches separated by 3 transmembrane segments; epitope accessibility may therefore depend on which region the antibody recognises (UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology; standard IHC practice). The catalog heart image includes a peptide blocked image, which supports assessing staining specificity for that image without locating the epitope (A30578 tissue IHC caption). If staining changes after retrieval, compare matched sections and consult a documented immunogen sequence before assigning the difference to a particular membrane facing region (standard IHC practice).
How should an IF follow up check the IHC pattern?
Use IF as a separate localisation check, pairing MPC1 with a mitochondrial marker and a marker identifying the expected cell type in the specimen (UniProt Q9Y5U8: mitochondrial inner membrane; standard IF practice). HPA reports mainly mitochondrial IF localisation, while the paraffin heart caption documents tissue IHC rather than an IF fixation or permeabilisation protocol (HPA subcellular: mitochondria enhanced; A30578 tissue IHC caption). Choose fluorophores after measuring tissue autofluorescence, favouring channels with clear signal separation, and include single colour controls for multiplex imaging (standard IF practice). Match permeabilisation to the documented epitope’s matrix or intermembrane space facing region; without an epitope map, optimise access empirically and check that mitochondrial structure remains intact (UniProt Q9Y5U8 topology; standard IF practice).
How can I reduce diffuse or granular background without losing MPC1 signal?
First inspect a no primary control and the peptide blocked comparison shown for the catalog heart image; interpret the latter only for that antibody and image (standard IHC practice; A30578 tissue IHC caption). In peroxidase based chromogenic IHC, use an endogenous peroxidase block, an appropriate protein block and thorough washes before DAB development (standard IHC practice). Titrate the primary antibody and detection reagents against a consistent reference section, since the supplied IHC caption gives no antibody dilution (A30578 tissue IHC caption; standard IHC practice). Retain granular cytoplasmic staining only when it exceeds control background and follows plausible cellular distribution, as HPA describes a general granular cytoplasmic pattern (HPA tissue IHC: staining profile).
What should I score when comparing MPC1 across paraffin sections? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the cell population and scoring region before reviewing outcomes, then record the percentage of cells with granular cytoplasmic signal and its intensity (HPA tissue IHC: granular cytoplasmic profile; standard IHC scoring practice). An H-score can combine percentages at intensity grades 0–3; alternatively, report positive cells or positive area per mm² when cell boundaries are unreliable (standard IHC scoring practice). Normalise each result to the number of evaluable cells or viable tissue area in the same compartment, and use one staining batch and threshold for comparisons (standard IHC scoring practice). Report cell types separately because HPA lists high staining in cardiomyocytes and kidney collecting ducts, among other populations (HPA tissue IHC: positive cells).
Which findings support a true MPC1 positive result rather than artefact?
A plausible positive shows granular cytoplasmic signal in intact cells, consistent with MPC1’s mitochondrial inner membrane assignment and the HPA tissue pattern (UniProt Q9Y5U8 subcellular location; HPA tissue IHC: granular cytoplasmic expression). Compare the staining with expected cells: HPA reports high staining in cardiomyocytes, whereas low staining is listed for adipocytes, so cell identity matters (HPA tissue IHC: cardiomyocytes High; adipocytes Low). Treat dominant nuclear or extracellular colour, section edge accentuation and necrotic deposits cautiously, and review control sections for endogenous enzyme signal (standard IHC interpretation). The catalog heart image includes peptide blocking, but that comparison does not prove that every granular signal in another specimen is MPC1 specific (A30578 tissue IHC caption).
Boster reagents
Best MPC1 / Mitochondrial pyruvate carrier 1 IHC Antibodies
The anti-MPC1 catalog antibody has IHC data from paraffin-embedded human heart and IF data from HeLa cells (A30578 image captions). Human, Mouse, and Rat reactivity is listed (A30578 catalog).
Real IHC data
Anti-BRP44L Antibody
Cat # A30578
A30578 has an IHC image of paraffin-embedded human heart tissue with a peptide-blocked comparison (A30578 IHC image caption). A30578 also has a HeLa-cell IF image and lists IHC, IF, and ICC applications with Human, Mouse, and Rat reactivity (A30578 IF image caption; A30578 catalog).
Which to pick: Choose A30578 for tissue IHC: its own image shows a paraffin-embedded human heart section, but the fixative is unreported (A30578 IHC image caption). For IF/ICC, A30578 lists both applications and provides a HeLa-cell IF image (A30578 applications; A30578 IF image caption). For work across Human, Mouse, and Rat samples, A30578 is a rabbit polyclonal antibody with all three species listed as reactive; the supplied IHC image documents human tissue only (A30578 catalog; A30578 IHC image caption).
Each figure is that product's own IHC / IF validation image from its datasheet.
References
- UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry Q9Y5U8 (MPC1_HUMAN, Mitochondrial pyruvate carrier 1).
- Human Protein Atlas. MPC1 tissue IHC expression (reliability: Enhanced).
- Human Protein Atlas. MPC1 subcellular location (ICC-IF): Mainly localized to the mitochondria. In addition localized to the principal piece..
- Human Protein Atlas. MPC1 antibody validation summary (2 antibodies).
- MPC1 and MPC2 expressions are associated with favorable clinical outcomes in prostate cancer. BMC cancer 2016 — PMC5112705.
- Mitochondrial pyruvate carrier: a potential target for diabetic nephropathy. BMC nephrology 2020 — PMC7362444.
- Association of Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier with the Clinical and Histological Features in Lupus Nephritis. International journal of nephrology and renovascular disease 2024 — PMC10804966.
- Pancreatic cancer tumor organoids exhibit subtype-specific differences in metabolic profiles. Cancer & metabolism 2024 — PMC11448267.
- PubMed PMID:11042152 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:10810093 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:14702039 — UniProt-cited evidence.
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for MPC1 (Mitochondrial pyruvate carrier 1). Expected localisation Granular cytoplasm (HPA tissue IHC); mitochondrial inner membrane (UniProt). Antigen retrieval: Citrate pH 6.0 HIER, 95–98 °C, 20 min (rule: cytoplasmic / membrane antigen). Validated IHC antibody: A30578 at 1:100 - 1:300 (the product's own IHC validation image is shown). Controls (HPA): positive Appendix (Glandular cells); 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 heart tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A30578); 2. Fixation: Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A30578); 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-induced epitope retrieval in citrate buffer, pH 6.0 , 20 min at 95–98 °C…; 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-MPC1, 1:100 - 1:300 (datasheet A30578); 9. Primary incubation: Overnight at 4 °C (standard). Watch for: Fixation: Matched tissue-IHC evidence does not establish the fixation claim. Validate the specimen-specific method before use. (selected-SKU IHC image A30578); Caveat: Antibody staining and RNA show medium consistency (HPA tissue IHC); Isoform / epitope: No isoforms annotated; mature chain spans residues 2–109 (UniProt); Regulation: Regulation of expression is not annotated (UniProt). Evidence: UniProt Q9Y5U8, HPA tissue IHC · Enhanced, HPA ICC-IF · Mainly localized to the mitochondria. In addition localized to the…, Datasheet A30578, PMC5112705, PMC7362444. QR code links to https://www.bosterbio.com/bosterbio-gene-info-cards/MPC1/immunohistochemistry-ihc-guide.