What is immunofluorescent staining?

Immunofluorescent staining (often abbreviated as IF) is a technique used in microscopy to visualize the location of a specific protein or other antigen within a cell or tissue sample. It involves using antibodies that are chemically conjugated to fluorescent dyes. These antibodies bind to the target antigen, and the bound antibodies can then be visualized using a fluorescence microscope. IF is commonly used in research and diagnostics to identify and localize specific proteins, diagnose diseases, and study cellular processes.