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STOML2 / Stomatin-like protein 2, mitochondrial · IHC design guide
Design Immunohistochemistry for STOML2
Plan chromogenic STOML2 IHC on paraffin sections with the catalog antibody at 2–5 μg/ml (datasheet A04108-1). Use high-staining colon glandular cells and adipocytes reported as not detected to anchor scoring (HPA tissue IHC).
Evidence assembled Oct 2026 · For research use; verify linked source records and product datasheet before use
STOML2 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 most tissues (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Staining pattern | Granular cytoplasm in colon glandular cells (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Antigen retrieval | EDTA pH 8.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A04108-1) | |
| Positive control | Adrenal gland+4 more · see all | |
| Negative control | Adipose tissue |
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 A04108-1) | |
| Caveat | Hematopoietic cells can contribute strong signal (HPA tissue IHC) | |
| Regulation | No intensity regulation reported (UniProt) | |
| Isoform / epitope | 2 isoforms; chain 29–356; epitope coverage unreported (UniProt) |
Section 1
Recommended STOML2 IHC & IF Protocols
The catalog antibody's IHC-P protocol (datasheet A04108-1) is presented alongside published STOML2 IHC methods for hepatocellular, gastric, and colorectal cancer samples (PMC12695159; PMC6090455; PMC3069341).
| Sample | Paraffin-embedded human colon cancer tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A04108-1) |
| Fixation | Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A04108-1); verify before use. |
| Sectioning | 4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard) |
| Deparaffinisation | Xylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard) |
| Antigen retrieval | Heat retrieval: EDTA pH 8.0 (datasheet A04108-1); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard) |
| Peroxidase block | 3% H2O2, 10 min, room temperature (standard) |
| Blocking | 10% goat serum (datasheet A04108-1) |
| Primary antibody | Rabbit anti-STOML2, 2-5 μg/ml (datasheet A04108-1) |
| Primary incubation | Overnight at 4 °C (datasheet A04108-1) |
| Detection | HRP-conjugated secondary, DAB chromogen (datasheet A04108-1) |
| Counterstain | Hematoxylin, blue, dehydrate and mount (standard) |
| Expected result | STOML2-positive staining in glandular cells of adrenal gland (HPA tissue IHC: High). HPA tissue profile: Cytoplasmic expression with a granular pattern in most tissues. No signal in the no-primary control. |
💡Decision noteStart with EDTA pH 8.0 heat retrieval for the catalog antibody (datasheet A04108-1). The published protocols use citrate pH 6.0 (PMC12695159; PMC6090455; PMC3069341).
Section 2
What Is the Expected STOML2 Staining Pattern?
STOML2 is primarily associated with mitochondria, including the inner membrane and intermembrane space; it has no detectable transmembrane segment, and a minor pool can associate with the cell surface in activated T cells (UniProt Q9UJZ1). In paraffin tissue sections, expect granular cytoplasmic staining in many cell types, with intensity varying by tissue and cell type (HPA tissue IHC). HPA rates the tissue pattern Supported, with medium consistency between staining and RNA expression (HPA tissue IHC).
| Discrete granular cytoplasmic signal in glandular cells of colon, breast, appendix, or adrenal gland. | This matches the reported tissue pattern; each listed cell population is rated High (HPA tissue IHC). Assess the cytoplasmic granules within the identified cells, and compare intensity with controls processed in the same run (general IHC practice). |
| Predominantly nuclear staining, or a smooth cell-boundary outline without appreciable cytoplasmic granules. | Neither is the characteristic paraffin-section pattern of granular cytoplasmic expression (HPA tissue IHC). UniProt also records a minor surface-associated pool in activated T cells, so a membrane accent alone is not proof of a false signal; investigate whether the overall pattern and controls agree (UniProt Q9UJZ1; general IHC practice). |
| Strong staining in adipocytes while nearby cellular staining is otherwise unconvincing. | HPA reports STOML2 as Not detected in adipocytes, making this a warning for nonspecific binding or endogenous chromogen-generating activity rather than a supported positive result (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). Confirm cell identity and inspect appropriate detection controls before interpreting it. |
| Uniform haze across cells and surrounding tissue obscures granular detail. | The expected IHC pattern is cellular and granular, so diffuse background prevents a confident localization call (HPA tissue IHC). Review blocking, antibody concentration, washing, and detection controls as general IHC variables; the supplied sources do not identify a STOML2-specific cause (general IHC practice). |
| No cytoplasmic signal in a documented High-staining tissue and cell population. | A blank result in, for example, colon glandular cells or bone marrow hematopoietic cells conflicts with HPA's reported High staining (HPA tissue IHC). Check the run's positive control and detection steps before calling the specimen negative; HPA's Supported rating does not guarantee every preparation will stain (general IHC practice; HPA tissue IHC). |
💡Expected STOML2 appearanceCall a convincing IHC positive when identified cells show discernible granular cytoplasmic staining, with strong signal plausible in HPA High populations such as colon glandular cells; a nuclear-only signal, diffuse haze, or prominent adipocyte staining without corroborating cellular signal is suspect (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice).
| Compartment and topology (UniProt Q9UJZ1). | STOML2 is chiefly mitochondrial despite lacking a detectable transmembrane segment; UniProt also lists other cellular locations (UniProt Q9UJZ1). Routine chromogenic IHC resolves the reported granular cytoplasmic pattern, but that appearance alone cannot assign individual granules to a mitochondrial subcompartment (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
| Choice of tissue and cell-level comparator (HPA tissue IHC). | HPA rates several glandular, epithelial, neuronal, and hematopoietic populations High, skeletal myocytes and chondrocytes Low, and adipocytes Not detected (HPA tissue IHC). Compare the named cell populations rather than treating an entire section as uniformly positive or negative (general IHC practice). |
| Strength of IHC evidence (HPA tissue IHC; HPA antibodies). | The tissue pattern is Supported with medium staining-to-RNA consistency, and HPA062016 has Supported IHC status (HPA tissue IHC; HPA antibodies). These classifications support use as comparators, while leaving an unexpected result to be checked against morphology and controls in the actual run (general IHC practice). |
| IF/ICC Q: Should plasma-membrane or cytosolic fluorescence be expected? | A: HPA reports supported plasma-membrane and cytosol localization in ICC-IF; UniProt describes a minor plasma-membrane pool in activated T cells (HPA subcellular ICC-IF; UniProt Q9UJZ1). These observations can inform interpretation, but the ICC-IF localization is a separate assay and does not replace the granular cytoplasmic IHC benchmark (HPA tissue IHC). |
| Retrieval and epitope uncertainty (general IHC practice; UniProt Q9UJZ1). | Antigen retrieval is a routine paraffin-IHC variable, and UniProt records a processed STOML2 chain spanning residues 29–356 (general IHC practice; UniProt Q9UJZ1). The supplied sources give no antibody epitope or target-specific fixation sensitivity, so they do not predict which retrieval condition will improve STOML2 staining. |
| Situation | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| A High-staining control population gives little or no signal. | The observed result disagrees with the reported High cell-level pattern; the supplied sources do not establish whether retrieval, antibody concentration, or detection caused the loss (HPA tissue IHC). | Verify the positive control's cell identity, then review retrieval, primary-antibody application, and chromogenic detection records for that run (general IHC practice). Keep the result unresolved until the control performs as expected. |
| The whole section has diffuse color with no clear cytoplasmic granules. | Background may reflect nonspecific binding, inadequate washing, or detection-system activity; these are general IHC possibilities, not documented STOML2-specific effects (general IHC practice). | Inspect a primary-antibody omission control, review blocking and wash steps, and adjust working conditions against a known positive tissue (general IHC practice; HPA tissue IHC). Score only cellular signal distinguishable from background. |
| Nuclei dominate the stain. | Nuclear predominance does not match HPA's granular cytoplasmic tissue pattern (HPA tissue IHC). The supplied sources cannot identify the particular reagent or preparation step responsible. | Check the counterstain and detection controls, then compare the same run with a High-staining reference cell population (general IHC practice; HPA tissue IHC). Withhold a STOML2 localization call if the nuclear signal persists without cytoplasmic granules. |
| Adipocytes stain strongly. | HPA rates adipocytes Not detected; apparent positivity could arise from nonspecific staining or endogenous detection activity (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). | Confirm that the colored structures are adipocytes, examine omission and detection controls, and compare a documented positive cell population on the same run (general IHC practice; HPA tissue IHC). Do not use adipocyte staining alone as a positive control. |
| A Low-staining population appears weak or blank. | Skeletal myocytes and chondrocytes are rated Low, so absence of an obvious signal there is a weak test of assay performance (HPA tissue IHC). | Judge run performance using an HPA High population, such as colon glandular cells or bone marrow hematopoietic cells, under the same staining conditions (HPA tissue IHC; general IHC practice). |
| Cell boundaries stain more strongly than the cytoplasm. | A minor surface-associated STOML2 pool is documented in activated T cells, but the HPA paraffin-tissue summary describes granular cytoplasmic expression in most tissues (UniProt Q9UJZ1; HPA tissue IHC). | Record the cell type and check for convincing cytoplasmic granules and appropriate control behavior before accepting a membrane-dominant IHC result (general IHC practice; HPA tissue IHC). |
Experiment evidence
IHC & IF images showing STOML2 staining
A04108-1 · IHCIHC analysis of STOML2 using anti-STOML2 antibody (A04108-1). STOML2 was detected in a paraffin-embedded section of human colon cancer tissu
HPA · Cerebral cortexHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Cerebral cortex. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000165283-STOML2/tissue/cerebral+cortex#imid_17419899
HPA · ColonHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Colon. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000165283-STOML2/tissue/colon#imid_17419825
HPA · LiverHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Liver. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000165283-STOML2/tissue/liver#imid_17419826
HPA · KidneyHuman Protein Atlas IHC, Kidney. Source: https://www.proteinatlas.org/ENSG00000165283-STOML2/tissue/kidney#imid_17419819
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody CAB015944; green = STOML2, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
HPA · ICC-IF A-431Human Protein Atlas immunofluorescence, A-431, antibody CAB015944; green = STOML2, blue = nucleus, red = microtubules.
← swipe / scroll for more images →
Real IHC / IF data behind the staining-pattern expectations in this section.
Sample controls for STOML2 IHC & IF
🧪Run adrenal gland first and expect glandular cells to stain (HPA: High in adrenal gland glandular cells). Run adipose tissue as the negative and expect adipocytes to lack detectable staining (HPA: Not detected in adipocytes); HPA identifies no internal negative cell type in the adrenal section, so compare any unstained neighboring cells with the background controls (HPA: adrenal gland row).
Positive control tissue: Adrenal gland (Glandular cells, HPA High)
Negative control tissue: Adipose tissue (HPA Not detected)
ICC-IF cell lines (HPA subcellular resource): HPA ICC-IF images show STOML2 in A-431, U-251MG, U2OS, with annotated localisation: Plasma membrane (supported), Cytosol (supported) (HPA subcellular).
Technical controls: Include a no-primary, secondary-only control, a rabbit IgG isotype control matched to the primary antibody’s clonality, and STOML2-null tissue or validated peptide competition if available (selected-SKU caption: rabbit anti-STOML2 A04108-1). Quench endogenous peroxidase and check the adrenal section for background before scoring glandular-cell staining (selected-SKU caption: HRP/DAB; HPA: High in adrenal gland glandular cells).
⚠️Feasibility: No target-specific fixation window or fixation effect is reported, and the selected A04108-1 paraffin-section caption does not state the fixative (selected-SKU caption: fixative not stated). Heat retrieval in EDTA at pH 8.0 is a documented starting condition, but the caption does not establish that retrieval is required (selected-SKU caption: heat retrieval in EDTA pH 8.0). No supplied comparison establishes whether frozen sections or IF/ICC are easier; when scoring adrenal gland with DAB, check any native brown pigment against the no-primary control (HPA: High in adrenal gland glandular cells; selected-SKU caption: DAB).
HPA tissue IHC evidence for STOML2
Comprehensive Human Protein Atlas IHC scoring per tissue (reliability: Supported — 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 → |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adipose tissue | Adipocytes | Not detected | Protein (IHC) | HPA → |
Section 3
Advanced STOML2 IHC Tips
Troubleshoot STOML2 staining in paraffin sections by checking retrieval, compartmental pattern, controls and scoring before interpreting differences between samples.
Which retrieval conditions should I start with for STOML2 IHC?
Start with heat-mediated antigen retrieval in EDTA at pH 8.0 for this paraffin-section assay (datasheet A04108-1). The selected tissue image used that condition, followed by 2 μg/ml primary antibody overnight at 4°C; keep those settings fixed while assessing retrieval (datasheet A04108-1). Compare a retrieved section with a no-retrieval section and a no-primary control to distinguish weak access from detection background (general IHC practice). If staining remains weak, test another retrieval buffer on adjacent sections as a fallback, changing only that variable (general IHC practice). Judge improvement by sharper granular cytoplasmic staining in appropriate cells, rather than stronger staining everywhere (HPA: granular cytoplasmic pattern in most tissues).
How should I troubleshoot fixation-related loss of STOML2 staining?
The selected caption describes a paraffin-embedded section but does not state its fixative, so target-specific fixation sensitivity is unknown (datasheet A04108-1: fixative not stated). Record the actual fixative, fixation duration and processing history for each specimen before attributing weak staining to fixation (general IHC practice). Compare sections from differently processed material using the same pH 8.0 EDTA retrieval and 2 μg/ml primary concentration to limit technical variation (datasheet A04108-1; general IHC practice). Examine tissue preservation and staining in an appropriate control section alongside the test section (general IHC practice). Neither the reported tissue pattern nor STOML2 topology establishes a fixation effect (HPA: tissue IHC profile; UniProt Q9UJZ1 topology).
What STOML2 staining pattern is plausible in paraffin sections?
Expect predominantly granular cytoplasmic staining across many tissues when evaluating routine IHC sections (HPA: granular cytoplasmic expression in most tissues). STOML2 is associated with mitochondrial inner membranes and the intermembrane space, despite lacking a detectable transmembrane segment (UniProt Q9UJZ1 localisation and topology). Because individual mitochondria may be unresolved in chromogenic sections, score the cellular pattern rather than claiming organelle-level localisation from DAB alone (general IHC interpretation). A membrane-associated pool can also occur, particularly in activated T-cells, so assess cell identity and context before rejecting peripheral staining (UniProt Q9UJZ1 localisation). Compare suspected signal with a no-primary control and with adjacent, well-preserved cells to check whether the pattern follows tissue structure (general IHC practice).
Can this IHC stain distinguish STOML2 isoforms or modified epitopes?
Do not assign isoform identity from staining intensity alone: the record lists 2 STOML2 isoforms, while the supplied IHC caption gives no isoform-specific epitope information (UniProt Q9UJZ1 isoforms; datasheet A04108-1). The annotated mature chain spans residues 29–356, but that annotation does not identify the catalog antibody’s binding site (UniProt Q9UJZ1 processing; datasheet A04108-1). Reported modifications include phosphorylation and acetylation, which are insufficient to infer altered recognition without a mapped epitope and direct testing (UniProt Q9UJZ1 modified residues; general IHC interpretation). If samples differ unexpectedly, compare serial sections under identical retrieval and antibody conditions before proposing an isoform or modification mechanism (general IHC practice).
How can IF help assess an ambiguous STOML2 IHC pattern?
Use IF as a complementary localisation check, with its own controls and optimisation, rather than carrying over the paraffin-section staining settings automatically (general IF practice; datasheet A04108-1: tissue IHC conditions). Multiplex STOML2 with a marker for the cell type under study so apparent differences reflect the intended cells (general IF practice). Select spectrally separated fluorophores and inspect unstained tissue for autofluorescence before interpreting a granular signal (general IF practice). Choose permeabilisation that gives antibody access to the relevant side of the mitochondrial membrane, because STOML2 is associated with the inner membrane and intermembrane space (UniProt Q9UJZ1 localisation; general IF practice). Plasma-membrane or cytosolic IF signal may also be plausible, but it cannot alone validate a chromogenic IHC result (HPA: supported plasma-membrane and cytosol localisation; general IHC/IF interpretation).
What should I change when STOML2 DAB staining is diffuse or excessive?
First examine a no-primary section and the distribution of DAB precipitate to identify background from detection reagents (general IHC practice). The selected assay used 10% goat serum blocking, 2 μg/ml rabbit primary overnight at 4°C, a peroxidase-conjugated secondary and DAB development (datasheet A04108-1). Include a peroxidase block and optimise DAB development as general chromogenic workflow steps, checking whether signal persists without primary antibody (general IHC practice). If background remains high, titrate the primary around the documented concentration while keeping retrieval and exposure consistent across sections (datasheet A04108-1; general IHC practice). Retain conditions that preserve distinguishable granular cytoplasmic staining without broad extracellular colour (HPA: granular cytoplasmic pattern; general IHC practice).
How should I quantify STOML2 staining across tissue samples? ⚠ ANSWER MARKED FOR VERIFICATION
Define the relevant cell population and tissue region before measuring STOML2, because staining can occur across many tissues and cell types (HPA: granular cytoplasmic expression in most tissues). For chromogenic IHC, record the percentage of positive target cells and an intensity-based H-score, with the same scoring thresholds across batches (general IHC practice). Normalise cell counts to the number of eligible cells; if counting stained cells spatially, report density per mm² of viable analysed tissue (general IHC practice). Exclude folds, edges and necrotic regions using prespecified criteria, and assess a no-primary control for background (general IHC practice). Report granular cytoplasmic staining separately from any peripheral pattern to preserve the compartment distinction (HPA: tissue IHC profile; UniProt Q9UJZ1 localisation).
How do I distinguish genuine STOML2 staining from artefact?
A convincing IHC result follows intact cell boundaries and shows a reproducible granular cytoplasmic pattern in eligible cells (HPA: granular cytoplasmic pattern; general IHC practice). Consider cell identity: glandular cells in colon are reported as high, whereas adipocytes in adipose tissue are reported as not detected (HPA: colon glandular cells High; adipose adipocytes Not detected). Treat staining confined to section edges, folds or necrotic areas as suspect until it repeats in well-preserved tissue (general IHC practice). Check a no-primary control and peroxidase blocking when DAB appears broadly, since endogenous enzyme activity can create chromogenic signal (general IHC practice). Peripheral signal is not automatically false, but an isolated nuclear or extracellular pattern needs independent support given the reported STOML2 locations (UniProt Q9UJZ1 localisation; HPA: tissue IHC profile).
Boster reagents
Best STOML2 / Stomatin-like protein 2, mitochondrial IHC Antibodies
A04108-1 has human paraffin-section IHC data (image caption); M04108-1 is listed for ICC/IF in human, mouse and rat (catalog: applications and reactivity), with no supplied IF figure.
Real IHC data
Anti-STOML2 Antibody ®
Cat # A04108-1
A04108-1 is the pictured IHC card, showing staining in a paraffin-embedded human colon cancer section (A04108-1 image caption). M04108-1 is listed for ICC/IF and reactivity with human, mouse and rat, but has no supplied IF image (M04108-1 catalog).
Which to pick: Choose A04108-1 for chromogenic tissue IHC: its image shows a human paraffin section with EDTA pH 8.0 retrieval, 2 μg/ml primary antibody and DAB detection; the fixative is unreported (A04108-1 image caption). Choose M04108-1 for IF/ICC because it is a rabbit monoclonal listed for that application, although no IF figure is supplied (M04108-1 catalog). Both list human, mouse and rat reactivity, but the supplied IHC image documents human tissue only (catalog: reactivity; A04108-1 image caption).
Each figure is that product's own IHC / IF validation image from its datasheet.
References
- UniProt Consortium. UniProt entry Q9UJZ1 (STML2_HUMAN, Stomatin-like protein 2, mitochondrial).
- Human Protein Atlas. STOML2 tissue IHC expression (reliability: Supported).
- Human Protein Atlas. STOML2 subcellular location (ICC-IF): Localized to the plasma membrane and cytosol..
- Human Protein Atlas. STOML2 antibody validation summary (2 antibodies).
- STOML2 interacts with PHB to activate the MEK/ERK signaling pathway and mediates autophagy‑related proteins in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. International journal of molecular medicine 2026 — PMC12695159.
- STOML2 potentiates metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by promoting PINK1-mediated mitophagy and regulates sensitivity to lenvatinib. Journal of hematology & oncology 2021 — PMC7807703.
- Effects of downregulated expression of microRNA-187 in gastric cancer. Experimental and therapeutic medicine 2018 — PMC6090455.
- An informatics-assisted label-free approach for personalized tissue membrane proteomics: case study on colorectal cancer. Molecular & cellular proteomics : MCP 2011 — PMC3069341.
- PubMed PMID:10713127 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:11435687 — UniProt-cited evidence.
- PubMed PMID:14702039 — UniProt-cited evidence.
Immunohistochemistry protocol sheet for STOML2 (Stomatin-like protein 2, mitochondrial). Expected localisation Granular cytoplasm in most tissues (HPA tissue IHC). Antigen retrieval: EDTA pH 8.0 HIER, heat-mediated (datasheet A04108-1). Validated IHC antibody: A04108-1 at 2-5 μg/ml (the product's own IHC validation image is shown). Controls (HPA): positive Adrenal gland (Glandular cells); negative Adipose tissue. IHC-P workflow on paraffin sections; fixative unspecified. Protocol steps: 1. Sample: Paraffin-embedded human colon cancer tissue; fixative not specified (datasheet A04108-1); 2. Fixation: Image fixative and duration unreported (datasheet A04108-1); verify before use.; 3. Sectioning: 4–5 µm sections on charged slides (standard); 4. Deparaffinisation: Xylene, graded ethanol series to water (standard); 5. Antigen retrieval: Heat retrieval: EDTA pH 8.0 (datasheet A04108-1); 20 min, 95–100 °C (standard); 6. Peroxidase block: 3% H2O2, 10 min , room temperature (standard); 7. Blocking: 10% goat serum (datasheet A04108-1); 8. Primary antibody: Rabbit anti-STOML2, 2-5 μg/ml (datasheet A04108-1); 9. Primary incubation: Overnight at 4 °C (datasheet A04108-1). Watch for: Fixation: Matched tissue-IHC evidence does not establish the fixation claim. Validate the specimen-specific method before use. (selected-SKU IHC image A04108-1); Caveat: Hematopoietic cells can contribute strong signal (HPA tissue IHC); Isoform / epitope: 2 isoforms; chain 29–356; epitope coverage unreported (UniProt); Regulation: No intensity regulation reported (UniProt). Evidence: UniProt Q9UJZ1, HPA tissue IHC · Supported, HPA ICC-IF · plasma membrane and cytosol., Datasheet A04108-1, PMC12695159, PMC6090455. QR code links to https://www.bosterbio.com/bosterbio-gene-info-cards/STOML2/immunohistochemistry-ihc-guide.