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STK36 / Serine/threonine-protein kinase 36 · IHC design guide
Design Immunohistochemistry for STK36
Plan STK36 staining in paraffin sections around the widespread cytoplasmic pattern reported in tissue IHC (HPA tissue IHC). This guide covers controls, staining interpretation and the uncertainty raised by low agreement between antibody staining and RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC).
Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
STK36 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 | Cytoplasmic tissue staining (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Staining pattern | Widespread cytoplasmic staining across cell types (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Antigen retrieval | Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 HIER, 95–98 °C, 20 min (rule: nuclear 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 consistent across sections. (standard IHC practice; not target-specific) | |
| Caveat | Staining has low consistency with RNA data (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Regulation | Expression regulation unreported (UniProt) | |
| Isoform / epitope | 2 isoforms; epitope coverage is unknown (UniProt) |
Section 1
Recommended STK36 IHC & IF Protocols
The catalog antibody’s IHC-P protocol is accompanied by one published prostate tissue microarray protocol (PMC10771505).
| Sample | Paraffin-embedded human lung carcinoma tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A09526-1) |
| Fixation | Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A09526-1); 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 Tris-EDTA buffer, pH 9.0, 20 min at 95–98 °C (standard rule: nuclear 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-STK36, 1:100 - 1:300 (datasheet A09526-1) |
| 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 | STK36-positive staining in glandular cells of adrenal gland (HPA tissue IHC: High). HPA tissue profile: Ubiquitous cytoplasmic expression. No signal in the no-primary control. |
💡Decision noteStart with Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 retrieval at 95–98 °C for 20 min (page retrieval rule: nuclear antigen); the published method does not specify retrieval (PMC10771505).
Section 2
What Is the Expected STK36 Staining Pattern?
STK36 is an intracellular protein associated with cytoplasm, cilia and, at low levels, nuclei (UniProt Q9NRP7 localization; UniProt Q9NRP7 topology). In paraffin-section IHC, expect predominantly cytoplasmic cell-body staining, including bronchial ciliated cells and several glandular cell populations (HPA: ubiquitous cytoplasmic expression; HPA: High in bronchial ciliated cells and glandular cells). HPA rates its tissue IHC “Approved” but reports low agreement between staining and RNA expression, pending external verification (HPA: reliability description).
| Cytoplasmic staining in bronchial ciliated cell bodies, with little emphasis on nuclei. | This fits the reported bronchial pattern and predominant cytoplasmic distribution (HPA: High in bronchial ciliated cell bodies; HPA: ubiquitous cytoplasmic expression). STK36 can also localize to cilia, so an apical signal may be plausible, but the HPA tissue record specifically scores the cell body (UniProt Q9NRP7 localization; HPA: bronchus). |
| Strong nuclear-only or crisp surface staining dominates an otherwise weak section. | Treat this as discordant with the expected dominant cytoplasmic pattern (HPA: ubiquitous cytoplasmic expression). Low nuclear levels are reported, so occasional nuclear signal alone is not proof of artefact (UniProt Q9NRP7 localization). A membrane-rim pattern needs scrutiny because STK36 has no transmembrane segment (UniProt Q9NRP7 topology). |
| The strongest color is outside expected cell populations, or appears in tissue structures without convincing intracellular detail. | Compare cell identity before calling it cross-reactivity: HPA also reports high signal in colon endothelial cells and cerebellar Purkinje cells (HPA: colon and cerebellum). Staining unrelated to recognizable cells may reflect nonspecific antibody binding or endogenous detection activity (general IHC practice). |
| Color spreads across tissue or appears similarly in positive and low-signal regions. | Diffuse background prevents a reliable compartment call (general IHC practice). Weak glial staining in hippocampus and caudate can serve as a relative comparator, but neither population is documented as negative (HPA: Low in hippocampal and caudate glial cells; HPA: negative list empty). |
| No visible staining in bronchial ciliated cells or another HPA high-signal population. | First consider an assay failure, including detection, retrieval or antibody conditions (general IHC practice). The HPA high-signal designation makes the sample useful for investigation, but its tissue IHC has low staining-to-RNA consistency and awaits external verification (HPA: bronchus; HPA: reliability description). |
💡Expected STK36 appearanceCall a section positive when recognizable cell bodies show predominant cytoplasmic color, potentially strong in bronchial ciliated or listed glandular cells; dominant membrane-rim or cell-independent diffuse color warrants review (HPA: High in bronchus and listed glandular cells; HPA: ubiquitous cytoplasmic expression; UniProt Q9NRP7 topology; general IHC practice).
| Cell population and compartment | HPA reports broad cytoplasmic expression, with high levels in bronchial ciliated cell bodies, several glandular populations, colon endothelium and Purkinje cells (HPA: tissue IHC). Choose the comparator by cell type within the section; glial cells in hippocampus and caudate are reported Low, not absent (HPA: Low glial cells). |
| Ciliary and nuclear localization | Cilium, axoneme and cytoplasm are documented locations; low nuclear levels are also reported (UniProt Q9NRP7 localization). STK36 and ULK4 depend on each other for localization to the ciliary tip (UniProt Q9NRP7 localization). These facts allow a focused ciliary interpretation without making a visible ciliary tip a required IHC result. |
| Topology and processing | STK36 has no transmembrane segment, signal sequence or propeptide, and its listed chain spans residues 1–1315 (UniProt Q9NRP7 topology and processing). The record therefore supports an intracellular expectation; it supplies no evidence for a shed extracellular staining pattern or a target-specific fixation effect. |
| Antibody validation and isoforms | Three listed antibodies have IHC “Approved” status; that designation coexists with low agreement between staining and RNA expression (HPA: HPA027409, HPA027453, HPA030058 IHC; HPA: reliability description). Two isoforms are listed, but no epitope information here establishes which an individual IHC antibody detects (UniProt Q9NRP7 isoforms). |
| Situation | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| A high-signal comparator is blank. | The staining run may have failed, or the selected section may lack the relevant cells (general IHC practice). | Confirm the cell population is present, then inspect the run control and the documented retrieval, antibody dilution and detection steps (general IHC practice). Use bronchial ciliated cell bodies or another HPA high-signal population as a comparator, while retaining the HPA reliability caveat (HPA: tissue IHC; HPA: reliability description). |
| Nuclei dominate the stain. | A predominantly nuclear result conflicts with HPA's cytoplasmic profile, although low nuclear STK36 is possible (HPA: ubiquitous cytoplasmic expression; UniProt Q9NRP7 localization). | Check a recognizable high-signal cell population and compare its cytoplasm with adjacent nuclei; review a negative reagent control for nonspecific nuclear color (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC practice). Do not reject every weak nuclear trace solely on compartment grounds (UniProt Q9NRP7 localization). |
| A sharp membrane rim or extracellular deposit is called positive. | The pattern lacks support from STK36 topology, which lists no transmembrane segment or signal sequence (UniProt Q9NRP7 topology and processing). | Reassess cellular boundaries and counterstain, and compare with a control section for edge deposits or detection artefact (general IHC practice). Require convincing intracellular staining before interpreting the result as STK36 (HPA: cytoplasmic profile; UniProt Q9NRP7 localization). |
| Diffuse color obscures cell boundaries. | Background from nonspecific binding or endogenous detection activity can defeat compartment scoring (general IHC practice). | Check negative reagent controls and the detection system; adjust blocking or endogenous-enzyme suppression when appropriate to that system (general IHC practice). Re-score only when cytoplasm can be distinguished from surrounding tissue (HPA: ubiquitous cytoplasmic expression). |
| Unexpected cells stain more strongly than the chosen comparator. | The comparator may be inappropriate: HPA reports high STK36 staining across several cell types, while its IHC pattern has limited RNA agreement (HPA: tissue IHC; HPA: reliability description). | Identify the stained cells before judging specificity; compare them with the exact HPA cell-level entries and a negative reagent control (HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC practice). Treat a discrepancy as unresolved rather than declaring an unlisted cell type definitively negative. |
| ICC/IF shows cytosolic signal but IHC is difficult to interpret. | HPA supports cytosolic localization by ICC/IF, but that observation alone does not validate a particular paraffin-section pattern (HPA: subcellular ICC/IF; HPA: tissue IHC reliability description). | Use the ICC/IF result as a compartment cross-check, then judge the IHC slide against its own cell-type observations and controls (HPA: cytosol supported; HPA: tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
Experiment evidence
IHC & IF images showing STK36 staining
A09526-1 · IHCImmunohistochemistry analysis of paraffin-embedded human lung carcinoma tissue, using STK36 Antibody. The picture on the right is blocked wi
HPA · Cerebral cortexHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Cerebral cortex. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000163482-STK36/tissue/cerebral+cortex#imid_7340168
HPA · ColonHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Colon. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000163482-STK36/tissue/colon#imid_7336998
HPA · LiverHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Liver. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000163482-STK36/tissue/liver#imid_7336999
HPA · KidneyHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Kidney. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000163482-STK36/tissue/kidney#imid_7336992
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody HPA027453; green = STK36, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody HPA027453; green = STK36, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
← swipe / scroll for more images →
Real IHC / IF data behind the staining-pattern expectations in this section.
Sample controls for STK36 IHC & IF
🧪Run bronchus first and look for staining in ciliated cells, specifically the cell body (HPA: High in bronchus ciliated cells). HPA detects STK36 in all 45 scored tissues, so there is no supported negative tissue; use no-primary and isotype controls, and judge neighboring cells without specific staining on the positive slide against those controls (HPA: no negative tissue rows).
Positive control tissue: Adrenal gland (Glandular cells, HPA High)
Negative control tissue: None in HPA: STK36 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 STK36 in A-431, U-251MG, U2OS, RPTEC/TERT1, hTERT-RPE1 (serum starved), with annotated localisation: Cytosol (supported) (HPA subcellular).
Technical controls: Include a no-primary (secondary-only) control, an isotype control matched to the primary antibody’s host species and clonality, and a biological specificity control such as STK36 knockout; peptide blocking is also documented for the selected antibody in paraffin-embedded lung carcinoma tissue (selected-SKU caption: A09526-1). For bronchus, quench endogenous peroxidase for chromogenic IHC and assess tissue autofluorescence if using IF (standard IHC/IF practice).
⚠️Feasibility: A target-specific fixation window and its effect are unreported in the supplied evidence; the selected-SKU paraffin-section caption does not state a fixative (selected-SKU caption: A09526-1). Antigen-retrieval dependence and whether frozen sections or IF are easier are likewise unreported; HPA shows bronchus staining in ciliated cell bodies, while UniProt also places STK36 in cilia, so score cell-body staining separately from any apparent ciliary signal (HPA: High in bronchus ciliated cells; UniProt Q9NRP7 subcellular location). Bronchial tissue may contain peroxidase-positive inflammatory cells that require care when interpreting chromogenic signal (standard IHC practice).
HPA tissue IHC evidence for STK36
Comprehensive Human Protein Atlas IHC scoring per tissue (reliability: Approved — Low 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adrenal gland | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Appendix | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Breast | Glandular cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Bronchus | Ciliated cells (cell body) | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
| Cerebellum | Purkinje cells | High | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Undetected expression · recommended negative controls
| Tissue | Cell type | Level | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None in HPA: STK36 is detected in all 45 scored tissues. Use a no-primary (secondary-only) and an isotype control instead. | ||||
Section 3
Advanced STK36 IHC Tips
Use the catalog antibody’s paraffin-section image as a reference, and assess staining against STK36 localisation and cell-type evidence.
What retrieval should I try first for weak STK36 staining in paraffin sections?
Start with Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 heat-induced retrieval at 95–98 °C for 20 min (page retrieval setting). Let sections cool in buffer before washing, and keep heating and cooling conditions consistent across controls (standard IHC practice). Compare a dilution series on adjacent sections because excessive retrieval can raise diffuse staining or damage tissue morphology (standard IHC practice). The selected image documents STK36 staining in paraffin-embedded human lung carcinoma tissue, but reports no fixative or retrieval method (caption A09526-1). If staining remains weak, compare a shorter heating time on matched sections while retaining the stated buffer and pH (standard IHC practice).
Could fixation explain weak or uneven STK36 staining?
Target-specific fixation sensitivity is unknown: the selected paraffin-section caption does not state a fixative (caption A09526-1). Record the actual fixative, fixation duration, specimen thickness and processing history before comparing stained sections (standard IHC practice). For a controlled troubleshooting run, stain sections processed under known, matched conditions and vary only one preparation factor at a time (standard IHC practice). Check preserved morphology and whether uneven signal follows poorly processed areas rather than the expected cell distribution (standard IHC practice). Do not infer STK36 fixation tolerance from its intracellular localisation or phosphorylation sites; neither establishes fixation performance (UniProt Q9NRP7 localisation and modified residues).
Which compartment should count as plausible STK36 staining?
Assess cytoplasmic staining first because tissue IHC is described as ubiquitously cytoplasmic, although that profile has low consistency with RNA data (HPA tissue IHC). Cytosolic localisation is supported by cell imaging, while the protein record also lists cilium, axoneme and low-level nuclear localisation (HPA subcellular; UniProt Q9NRP7). In bronchus, inspect ciliated cell bodies carefully because these are reported as strongly stained (HPA tissue IHC: High in bronchus ciliated cells). Do not require a conspicuous nuclear signal to call a section technically successful (UniProt Q9NRP7 localisation). Score cytoplasmic and nuclear staining separately, with morphology and matched controls guiding interpretation (standard IHC practice).
How should isoforms and epitope uncertainty affect my IHC interpretation?
STK36 has 2 listed isoforms, but the supplied antibody caption does not identify which isoform its epitope detects (UniProt Q9NRP7 isoforms; caption A09526-1). The kinase domain spans residues 4–254, with reported autophosphorylation at threonine 158 and serine 159 (UniProt Q9NRP7). Without an epitope map, do not interpret a staining difference as isoform-specific or phosphorylation-dependent detection (UniProt Q9NRP7 isoforms and modified residues; caption A09526-1). The caption’s synthesized-peptide blocking image offers a useful specificity comparison for that image, but does not establish isoform discrimination (caption A09526-1). Compare matched sections and document any peptide-block result alongside morphology and compartment before assigning biological meaning (standard IHC practice).
How can IF help resolve an ambiguous chromogenic STK36 pattern?
Use IF as a separate localisation check, pairing STK36 with a validated ciliated-cell marker when examining bronchus, where ciliated cell bodies show high tissue staining (HPA tissue IHC: High in bronchus ciliated cells). Choose a spectrally separated fluorophore with low signal in the tissue’s autofluorescent channels, and acquire single-label controls before interpreting overlap (standard IF practice). Permeabilise sufficiently for an intracellular epitope while checking whether cell structure remains intact; STK36 has no transmembrane segment and is reported in cytosol and ciliary structures (UniProt Q9NRP7 topology and localisation). Compare the IF pattern with the chromogenic section, but treat differing preparation and detection conditions as potential explanations for disagreement (standard IHC/IF practice).
How do I reduce diffuse brown staining without losing STK36 signal?
First compare a no-primary control with the stained section, then inspect whether brown signal follows tissue edges, folds or endogenous pigment (standard IHC practice). Quench endogenous peroxidase before chromogenic detection and use a suitable protein block to limit nonspecific binding (standard IHC practice). Titrate the catalog antibody and detection reagent on adjacent sections while holding retrieval at Tris-EDTA pH 9.0, 95–98 °C for 20 min (page retrieval setting; standard IHC practice). Diffuse cytoplasmic staining can still be plausible because tissue staining is described as ubiquitous, though its RNA agreement is low (HPA tissue IHC). Judge improvement by retained cell morphology and control separation, not by a pale slide alone (standard IHC practice).
What scoring method best captures heterogeneous STK36 IHC staining? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the compartment and cell population before scoring, because STK36 staining may be cytoplasmic and can include low-level nuclear localisation (HPA tissue IHC; UniProt Q9NRP7). For a defined cell population, report percent positive cells and an H-score using intensity categories 0–3, calculated as the sum of intensity multiplied by percent of cells at each intensity (standard IHC practice). For sparse, spatially distinct positives, density per mm² of viable tissue may be clearer (standard IHC practice). Normalise comparisons to the same viable tissue area or the same counted cell type, and exclude necrosis and folds (standard IHC practice). Keep threshold, exposure and scoring rules fixed across sections (standard IHC practice).
How can I distinguish credible STK36 staining from artefact?
A credible pattern should fit preserved cells and a plausible compartment: cytoplasmic staining is reported in tissue, while cytosol, ciliary structures and low-level nucleus are listed for STK36 (HPA tissue IHC; HPA subcellular; UniProt Q9NRP7). In bronchus, examine ciliated cell bodies specifically because high staining is reported there (HPA tissue IHC: High in bronchus ciliated cells). Discount signal confined to cut edges, folds or necrotic regions, and compare a no-primary control for endogenous enzyme or detection background (standard IHC practice). Peptide blocking is shown for the selected lung carcinoma paraffin image, but it does not independently verify every stained structure (caption A09526-1). Interpret broad cytoplasmic positivity cautiously because HPA reports low agreement between staining and RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC).
Boster reagents
Best STK36 / Serine/threonine-protein kinase 36 IHC Antibodies
A09526-1 has a real IHC image from paraffin-embedded human lung carcinoma (IHC image caption); IF is listed without an IF image (catalog); human and mouse reactivity is listed (catalog).
Real IHC data
Anti-STK36 Antibody
Cat # A09526-1
A09526-1 will render with an IHC image of paraffin-embedded human lung carcinoma, including a peptide-blocked comparison (IHC image caption). IHC and IF/ICC are listed applications, with human and mouse reactivity listed; no IF image is supplied (catalog).
Which to pick: For tissue IHC, choose A09526-1: its own image shows paraffin-embedded human lung carcinoma, but the fixative is unreported (IHC image caption); the listed IHC dilution is 1:100–1:300 (datasheet). For IF/ICC, A09526-1 lists those applications and an IF dilution of 1:50, without an IF image in the payload (catalog). For human or mouse samples, A09526-1 is the listed polyclonal option with reactivity to both species; its pictured IHC sample is human (catalog; IHC image caption).
Each figure is that product's own IHC / IF validation image from its datasheet.
References
- UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry Q9NRP7 (STK36_HUMAN, Serine/threonine-protein kinase 36).
- Human Protein Atlas. STK36 tissue IHC expression (reliability: Approved).
- Human Protein Atlas. STK36 subcellular location (ICC-IF): Localized to the cytosol..
- Human Protein Atlas. STK36 antibody validation summary (3 antibodies).
- Serine/threonine kinase 36 induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition promotes docetaxel resistance in prostate cancer. Scientific reports 2024 — PMC10771505.
- PubMed PMID:10806483 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:10574462 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:15815621 — UniProt-cited evidence.
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for STK36 (Serine/threonine-protein kinase 36). Expected localisation Cytoplasmic tissue staining (HPA tissue IHC). Antigen retrieval: Tris-EDTA pH 9.0 HIER, 95–98 °C, 20 min (rule: nuclear antigen). Validated IHC antibody: A09526-1 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 lung carcinoma tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A09526-1); 2. Fixation: Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A09526-1); 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-induced epitope retrieval in Tris-EDTA buffer, pH 9.0 , 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-STK36, 1:100 - 1:300 (datasheet A09526-1); 9. Primary incubation: Overnight at 4 °C (standard). Watch for: Fixation: Keep fixation consistent across sections. (standard IHC practice; not target-specific); Caveat: Staining has low consistency with RNA data (HPA tissue IHC); Isoform / epitope: 2 isoforms; epitope coverage is unknown (UniProt); Regulation: Expression regulation unreported (UniProt). Evidence: UniProt Q9NRP7, HPA tissue IHC · Approved, HPA ICC-IF · cytosol., Datasheet A09526-1, PMC10771505. QR code links to https://www.bosterbio.com/bosterbio-gene-info-cards/STK36/immunohistochemistry-ihc-guide.