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MRPL52 / Large ribosomal subunit protein mL52 · IHC design guide
Design Immunohistochemistry for MRPL52
Plan MRPL52 paraffin section IHC around the granular cytoplasmic pattern reported in tissue (HPA tissue IHC). This guide covers fixation consistency, antibody dilution, controls and interpretation using the IHC-validated antibody at 1:100–1:300 (datasheet).
Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
MRPL52 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 in tissue (HPA tissue IHC); mitochondrial protein (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 | Adrenal gland+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 conditions consistent across sections. (standard IHC practice; not target-specific) | |
| Caveat | Staining and RNA show medium consistency (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Regulation | No regulation annotated (UniProt) | |
| Isoform / epitope | 4 isoforms; epitope coverage is unspecified (UniProt) |
Section 1
Recommended MRPL52 IHC & IF Protocols
The catalog antibody’s IHC-P protocol is accompanied by one published MRPL52 IHC workflow for paraffin sections (PMC8210597).
| Sample | Paraffin-embedded human brain tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A15101) |
| Fixation | Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A15101); 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-MRPL52, 1:100 - 1:300 (datasheet A15101) |
| 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 | MRPL52-positive staining in glandular cells of adrenal gland (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 retrieval at 95–98 °C for 20 min (page antigen-retrieval rule); the published workflow also uses citrate pH 6.0 (PMC8210597).
Section 2
What Is the Expected MRPL52 Staining Pattern?
MRPL52 is mitochondrial and has no annotated transmembrane segment (UniProt Q86TS9). In paraffin-section IHC, expect granular cytoplasmic staining (HPA: tissue IHC profile), including strong staining in adrenal glandular cells, bronchial respiratory epithelial cells, and cerebral cortical neurons (HPA: High in each). HPA rates its IHC evidence Approved, with medium consistency between staining and RNA data (HPA: tissue IHC reliability).
| Granular cytoplasmic staining in adrenal glandular cells or bronchial respiratory epithelial cells (HPA: High in both). | This fits the reported tissue pattern (HPA: granular cytoplasm) and mitochondrial location (UniProt Q86TS9). Compare cells within the same section before judging intensity; a uniformly dark field can obscure the granules (general IHC practice). |
| Predominantly nuclear staining, with little granular cytoplasmic signal (HPA: tissue IHC profile). | Question an IHC result dominated by nuclei because the reported tissue pattern is cytoplasmic (HPA: tissue IHC). Nucleoplasmic localisation is uncertain in ICC-IF (HPA: subcellular), so nuclear signal alone does not establish a true IHC pattern; inspect controls and counterstain (general IHC practice). |
| Strong staining in adipocytes or smooth muscle cells while nearby HPA high cell populations are weak (HPA: Low in adipocytes and smooth muscle cells). | That reversal warrants a specificity check: cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity may contribute (general IHC practice). Low HPA staining does not mean these cells must be blank (HPA: Low); compare the same run with a no-primary control (general IHC practice). |
| Diffuse colour across cells and extracellular areas, without resolvable cytoplasmic granules (HPA: granular cytoplasmic profile). | Treat the pattern as background until controls support it. Review blocking, washes, and chromogen development (general IHC-P practice); broad colour alone cannot identify mitochondrial MRPL52 (UniProt Q86TS9; HPA: tissue IHC profile). |
| No detectable signal in adrenal glandular cells or bone marrow hematopoietic cells (HPA: High in both). | A missing expected signal calls for a run check before concluding absence. Confirm that the positive tissue and detection control stained, then review retrieval and antibody use under the assay conditions (general IHC-P practice). HPA High is an observed category, not a guarantee for every section (HPA: tissue IHC). |
💡Expected MRPL52 appearanceCall a result consistent when appropriate cells show distinct granular cytoplasmic colour, with stronger staining in HPA High populations such as adrenal glandular cells; nuclear-only or featureless diffuse colour needs control-based review (HPA: tissue IHC; UniProt Q86TS9; general IHC practice).
| Tissue and cell context | HPA reports low RNA tissue specificity and a general granular cytoplasmic IHC pattern (HPA: tissue IHC). High staining spans glandular, epithelial, hematopoietic, glial, and neuronal cells in the listed tissues (HPA: High); Low calls include adipocytes, chondrocytes, smooth muscle, and vaginal squamous cells (HPA: Low). |
| Protein location and topology | MRPL52 belongs to the mitochondrial large ribosomal subunit and has no annotated transmembrane segment (UniProt Q86TS9). Interpret resolved cytoplasmic granules alongside the mitochondrial assignment; tissue IHC alone cannot prove that each granule is a mitochondrion (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC interpretation). |
| Processing and isoforms | UniProt lists a chain at residues 24–123 and four isoforms, with no annotated glycosylation sites or modified residues (UniProt Q86TS9). The supplied evidence gives no antibody epitope, so these annotations cannot predict which isoforms the IHC antibody detects or how retrieval will affect staining. |
| Strength of IHC evidence | The tissue staining is Approved, with medium consistency between antibody staining and RNA expression data (HPA: tissue IHC reliability). One listed antibody, HPA012319, is IHC Approved; this supports using the reported pattern as a reference while leaving individual-slide specificity to controls (HPA: antibody validation; general IHC practice). |
| IF/ICC Q: Should nucleoplasmic signal count as expected? | Mitochondria are the supported main ICC-IF location; additional nucleoplasmic localisation is uncertain (HPA: subcellular). Assess a predominantly nuclear IF/ICC result cautiously and use its separate guide for assay design. This ICC-IF observation does not establish a nuclear IHC-P pattern (HPA: subcellular; HPA: tissue IHC). |
| Situation | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| HPA High reference tissue is blank or very faint (HPA: tissue IHC). | The run may have insufficient detection or a failed assay step (general IHC-P practice); HPA gives no MRPL52-specific fixation sensitivity. | Check a same-run positive control and the antibody's IHC-P instructions; verify retrieval, antibody concentration, and detection reagents within the assay workflow (general IHC-P practice). Do not infer biological absence from this slide alone. |
| Colour fills nuclei more than cytoplasm (HPA: granular cytoplasmic IHC profile). | Counterstain or nonspecific detection may complicate the readout (general IHC-P practice). ICC-IF nucleoplasm is an uncertain additional location, not confirmation of a nuclear IHC result (HPA: subcellular). | Compare with a no-primary control and inspect whether granular cytoplasmic signal is present in an HPA High cell population (general IHC practice; HPA: tissue IHC). |
| Adipocytes or smooth muscle dominate the stain (HPA: Low in both). | The pattern conflicts with those HPA Low calls, particularly if an HPA High population in the same run is weak (HPA: tissue IHC). Cross-reactivity or endogenous detection activity are possibilities (general IHC-P practice). | Run no-primary and appropriate detection controls, compare cell types within the section, and avoid scoring colour as MRPL52 solely by intensity (general IHC practice). |
| Every compartment has similar diffuse colour (HPA: granular cytoplasmic IHC profile). | Excess background can conceal the reported granular pattern (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC-P practice). This appearance does not resolve cellular localisation. | Review blocking, wash stringency, antibody concentration, and chromogen development against the IHC-P workflow; compare with a no-primary control (general IHC-P practice). |
| Only scattered granules are visible, with uncertain cell boundaries (HPA: granular cytoplasmic IHC profile). | A granular pattern can be difficult to assign to a particular cell in a crowded or weakly counterstained field (general histology practice). HPA's profile alone cannot identify each stained cell (HPA: tissue IHC). | Use morphology and counterstain to identify the cell population, then compare with the HPA cell-level pattern and a same-run control before scoring (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
Experiment evidence
IHC & IF images showing MRPL52 staining
A15101 · IHCImmunohistochemistry analysis of paraffin-embedded human brain tissue, using MRPL52 Antibody. The picture on the right is blocked with the s
A15101 · IFImmunofluorescence analysis of HUVEC cells, using MRPL52 Antibody. The picture on the right is blocked with the synthesized peptide.
HPA · Cerebral cortexHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Cerebral cortex. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000172590-MRPL52/tissue/cerebral+cortex#imid_3217352
HPA · ColonHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Colon. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000172590-MRPL52/tissue/colon#imid_3217286
HPA · LiverHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Liver. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000172590-MRPL52/tissue/liver#imid_3217279
HPA · PancreasHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Pancreas. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000172590-MRPL52/tissue/pancreas#imid_3217222
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody HPA012319; green = MRPL52, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody HPA012319; green = MRPL52, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
← swipe / scroll for more images →
Real IHC / IF data behind the staining-pattern expectations in this section.
Sample controls for MRPL52 IHC & IF
🧪Run adrenal gland first: glandular cells should stain strongly (HPA: High in adrenal gland glandular cells). HPA detects MRPL52 in all 45 scored tissues, so there is no validated negative tissue or internal negative cell population; use no-primary and isotype controls for negative staining, and treat any weakly stained cells on the positive slide only as comparators (HPA: no negative rows; detected in all 45 scored tissues).
Positive control tissue: Adrenal gland (Glandular cells, HPA High)
Negative control tissue: None in HPA: MRPL52 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 MRPL52 in A-431, U-251MG, U2OS, with annotated localisation: Mitochondria (supported) (HPA subcellular).
Technical controls: Include a no-primary, secondary-only slide and an isotype control matched to the primary antibody’s host species and clonality; use MRPL52 knockout material or peptide blocking as a biological specificity control (standard IHC practice; selected A15101 brain IHC caption: signal blocked with synthesized peptide). For chromogenic detection, quench endogenous peroxidase and check endogenous biotin if using avidin–biotin detection (standard IHC practice).
⚠️Feasibility: No supplied target or application evidence reports an MRPL52-specific fixation window or retrieval dependency; the selected A15101 paraffin-section brain caption does not state the fixative (selected A15101 brain IHC caption). ICC-IF images exist for A-431, U-251MG and U2OS, with mitochondrial localization supported, but the supplied evidence does not establish that IF or frozen sections are easier than paraffin IHC (HPA: subcellular images and supported mitochondrial location). No adrenal-specific artefact is reported in the supplied evidence; evaluate chromogenic background with the negative controls (HPA: adrenal gland High; standard IHC practice).
HPA tissue IHC evidence for MRPL52
Comprehensive Human Protein Atlas IHC scoring per tissue (reliability: Approved — 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adrenal gland | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Appendix | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Bone marrow | Hematopoietic cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Bronchus | Respiratory epithelial cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Caudate | Glial cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Undetected expression · recommended negative controls
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None in HPA: MRPL52 is detected in all 45 scored tissues. Use a no-primary (secondary-only) and an isotype control instead. | ||||
Section 3
Advanced MRPL52 IHC Tips
Troubleshoot MRPL52 staining by evaluating granular cytoplasmic signal, section quality, and controls together (HPA tissue IHC profile; UniProt Q86TS9).
How should I adjust retrieval when MRPL52 staining is weak?
Use citrate pH 6.0 heat-induced retrieval at 95–98 °C for 20 min before chromogenic IHC (page retrieval setting). Compare adjacent sections with the same cooling, washes, and antibody incubation so retrieval is the variable under test (standard IHC practice). Look for granular cytoplasmic signal consistent with mitochondrial MRPL52, rather than a continuous membrane rim (UniProt Q86TS9 localisation and topology; HPA tissue IHC profile). If signal remains weak, compare shorter and longer citrate exposures while checking tissue integrity and background (standard IHC practice). The A15101 brain caption documents paraffin embedding and peptide blocking, but gives no retrieval method or fixative (A15101 caption).
Could fixation explain weak MRPL52 staining in paraffin sections?
Target-specific fixation sensitivity is unknown: the A15101 paraffin brain caption does not state a fixative or fixation duration (A15101 caption). Record the actual fixative, time before fixation, and fixation duration for each specimen before comparing stain intensity (standard IHC practice). Test adjacent sections from specimens with documented processing under the same citrate pH 6.0 retrieval setting and detection conditions (page retrieval setting; standard IHC practice). Excessive or inconsistent fixation can change antigen accessibility in paraffin sections, so interpret a weaker section alongside its morphology and controls (standard IHC practice). Do not assign a fixation effect to MRPL52 from its mitochondrial localisation or tissue staining pattern (UniProt Q86TS9; HPA tissue IHC profile).
What staining distribution is credible for MRPL52?
Expect granular cytoplasmic staining in chromogenic sections because MRPL52 is mitochondrial and HPA describes a granular cytoplasmic IHC pattern (UniProt Q86TS9; HPA tissue IHC profile). Compare granules within intact cells against adjacent unstained structures and a matched negative control before calling a section positive (standard IHC practice). A continuous cell-surface rim would be discordant with the lack of an annotated transmembrane segment (UniProt Q86TS9 topology). HPA reports supported mitochondrial localisation in ICC/IF and an additional uncertain nucleoplasmic location, so nuclear colour alone is insufficient evidence (HPA subcellular). Recheck unexpected nuclear staining after reviewing counterstain overlap, section edges, and detection controls (standard IHC practice).
Can epitope placement change how I interpret MRPL52 staining?
MRPL52 has 4 listed isoforms and a mature chain annotated at residues 24–123, but the supplied evidence does not map this antibody’s epitope (UniProt Q86TS9; A15101 caption). Consequently, chromogenic staining cannot establish which isoform is present without an independently established isoform-specific reagent (UniProt Q86TS9 isoforms; standard IHC interpretation). If staining differs across preparations, check the antibody’s documented immunogen and whether it lies within the mature chain before attributing the difference to processing (UniProt Q86TS9 processing; standard IHC practice). MRPL52 has no annotated glycosylation sites or modified residues, which does not establish epitope accessibility in fixed sections (UniProt Q86TS9). Use matched processing and peptide-block controls when assessing specificity (A15101 caption; standard IHC practice).
How can IF help investigate an uncertain IHC pattern?
Use IF as a localisation check alongside chromogenic IHC, recognising that the selected A15101 image documents paraffin tissue IHC only (A15101 caption). In cerebral cortex, multiplex MRPL52 with a neuronal cell marker because HPA reports high staining in neuronal cells there (HPA tissue IHC). Choose a far-red channel and inspect an unstained section to distinguish signal from tissue autofluorescence (standard IF practice). Because MRPL52 lacks a transmembrane segment but its antibody epitope is unmapped, compare no detergent with mild 0.1% Triton X-100 permeabilisation for 5 min rather than assuming epitope exposure (UniProt Q86TS9 topology; standard IF practice). Judge concordance by intracellular mitochondrial pattern, while treating nucleoplasmic localisation as uncertain (HPA subcellular).
How do I reduce diffuse or granular background?
First compare the stained section with a no-primary control and inspect whether colour tracks tissue folds, edges, or damaged areas (standard IHC practice). For peroxidase detection, a 3% hydrogen peroxide block for 10 min is a general way to assess endogenous enzyme contribution, not MRPL52-specific evidence (standard chromogenic IHC practice). Titrate the catalog antibody against its matched negative control without assuming a dilution absent from the supplied record (standard IHC practice). Review blocking, wash stringency, and DAB development if diffuse colour persists (standard IHC practice). Preserve discrete granular cytoplasmic signal as the expected comparison pattern (HPA tissue IHC profile; UniProt Q86TS9 localisation).
How should I score MRPL52 across paraffin sections? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the cell population and scoring region before examining the chromogenic stain, and exclude folds, necrosis, and section edges consistently (standard IHC practice). Score granular cytoplasmic staining as percent positive cells plus intensity, or calculate an H-score using 0–3 intensity categories (HPA tissue IHC profile; standard IHC practice). For spatial comparisons, report positive-cell density per mm² of viable tissue and normalise to the number or area of eligible cells (standard IHC practice). Keep retrieval, imaging, and colour thresholds consistent across sections (standard IHC practice). Report cell type and compartment with each score because tissue composition and unexpected nuclear colour can distort comparisons (HPA tissue IHC; HPA subcellular).
When is an MRPL52-positive IHC result convincing?
A convincing result shows discrete granular cytoplasmic colour in intact cells, consistent with mitochondrial MRPL52 and the HPA tissue IHC profile (UniProt Q86TS9; HPA tissue IHC profile). Cell identity matters: HPA reports high staining in cerebral cortex neuronal cells and low staining in adipocytes, so compare like cell populations (HPA tissue IHC). Check whether staining persists away from edges and necrosis, where processing artefacts can concentrate colour (standard IHC practice). Use a no-primary control to investigate endogenous peroxidase or detection background, and interpret peptide competition within the limits of the A15101 brain image (standard IHC practice; A15101 caption). Nuclear-only or cell-surface staining needs independent confirmation because supported localisation is mitochondrial and nucleoplasmic localisation is uncertain (HPA subcellular; UniProt Q86TS9 topology).
Boster reagents
Best MRPL52 / Large ribosomal subunit protein mL52 IHC Antibodies
The catalog antibody A15101 has IHC data from paraffin-embedded human brain tissue (A15101 IHC image caption) and IF data from HUVEC cells (A15101 IF image caption).
Real IHC data
Anti-MRPL52 Antibody
Cat # A15101
A15101 is shown in IHC on paraffin-embedded human brain tissue with peptide blocking (A15101 IHC image caption). It is also shown in IF on HUVEC cells with peptide blocking (A15101 IF image caption) and lists Human, Mouse and Rat reactivity (A15101 catalog).
Which to pick: Choose A15101 for tissue IHC: its own image documents paraffin-embedded human brain tissue (A15101 IHC image caption); the fixative is unreported (A15101 IHC image caption). For IF/ICC, the same rabbit polyclonal antibody lists both applications (A15101 catalog), with an IF image from HUVEC cells (A15101 IF image caption). For cross-species work, A15101 lists Human, Mouse and Rat reactivity (A15101 catalog); the supplied IHC image documents human tissue only (A15101 IHC image caption).
Each figure is that product's own IHC / IF validation image from its datasheet.
References
- UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry Q86TS9 (RM52_HUMAN, Large ribosomal subunit protein mL52).
- Human Protein Atlas. MRPL52 tissue IHC expression (reliability: Approved).
- Human Protein Atlas. MRPL52 subcellular location (ICC-IF): Mainly localized to the mitochondria. In addition localized to the nucleoplasm..
- Human Protein Atlas. MRPL52 antibody validation summary (1 antibodies).
- HIF-1-induced mitochondrial ribosome protein L52: a mechanism for breast cancer cellular adaptation and metastatic initiation in response to hypoxia. Theranostics 2021 — PMC8210597.
- PubMed PMID:12508121 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:15489334 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:11551941 — UniProt-cited evidence.
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for MRPL52 (Large ribosomal subunit protein mL52). Expected localisation Granular cytoplasm in tissue (HPA tissue IHC); mitochondrial protein (UniProt). Antigen retrieval: Citrate pH 6.0 HIER, 95–98 °C, 20 min (rule: cytoplasmic / membrane antigen). Validated IHC antibody: A15101 at 1:100 - 1:300 (the product's own IHC validation image is shown). Controls (HPA): positive Adrenal gland (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 brain tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A15101); 2. Fixation: Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A15101); 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-MRPL52, 1:100 - 1:300 (datasheet A15101); 9. Primary incubation: Overnight at 4 °C (standard). Watch for: Fixation: Keep fixation conditions consistent across sections. (standard IHC practice; not target-specific); Caveat: Staining and RNA show medium consistency (HPA tissue IHC); Isoform / epitope: 4 isoforms; epitope coverage is unspecified (UniProt); Regulation: No regulation annotated (UniProt). Evidence: UniProt Q86TS9, HPA tissue IHC · Approved, HPA ICC-IF · Mainly localized to the mitochondria. In addition localized to the…, Datasheet A15101, PMC8210597. QR code links to https://www.bosterbio.com/bosterbio-gene-info-cards/MRPL52/immunohistochemistry-ihc-guide.