2. Increasing the utilization of current antibodies for new IHC tests:
Many diagnostic antigens are now known to be expressed in a wide range of tissues, making it possible to find new ways of utilizing antibodies that are already in use for IHC. For instance, most pathologists are well aware that the gut transcription factor CDX2 is an excellent marker of colonic carcinomas, but CDX2 can also be used effectively as an adjunct or even a substitute for alcian blue special stain to mark the intestinalized epithelium of Barrett’s esophagus. Combining this type of approach for antibody utilization with the introduction of new antibodies for IHC testing can significantly increase laboratory revenues.
