The VECTASTAIN® Elite ABC kits are available with or without biotinylated secondary antibodies. Those containing a biotinylated secondary antibody also contain the appropriate blocking serum. The Standard VECTASTAIN® Elite ABC kit contains neither biotinylated secondary antibody nor blocking serum. The “Standard” kit therefore, consisting only of the Elite ABC reagent, can be used with any biotinylated primary or secondary antibody, biotinylated nucleic acid probe or other biotinylated molecule.
Kits are available with either species-specific biotinylated secondary antibody or a biotinylated “Universal” secondary antibody for use with both rabbit and mouse primary antibodies. The biotinylated “Universal” secondary antibody offers the advantage of using only one reagent for either mouse or rabbit primary antibodies without sacrificing sensitivity or low background staining.
The VECTASTAIN® Elite Standard and Universal ABC kits also are provided in a choice of two forms, the traditional kit consisting of concentrated stock solutions or as Ready-To-Use (R.T.U.) reagents requiring no dilution to prepare working solutions. Each of the components in the R.T.U. VECTASTAIN® Elite Universal ABC kit is provided in stable prediluted form. This kit contains normal serum, biotinylated universal secondary antibody and preformed Elite ABC reagent ready for use without dilution. The R.T.U. VECTASTAIN® Elite ABC reagent consists of stabilized, prediluted and preformed Elite ABC reagent. The R.T.U. kits are ideal for manual or automated tissue staining systems, providing the high sensitivity and low background staining typical of the traditional VECTASTAIN® Elite ABC kit but with the added convenience of stable, ready-to-use reagents.
All of the VECTASTAIN® Elite ABC kits can be used on frozen or paraffin-embedded tissues, cell smears, or cytospin preparations.
NOTE: Although the biotinylated secondary antibodies provided in VECTASTAIN® ABC kits can be purchased individually, the Avidin DH and biotinylated enzymes are prepared especially for the VECTASTAIN® ABC kits and are matched reagents. Do not confuse these with Cat. Nos. A-2000 and B-2004, B-2005, or B-2006. When replacement of the ABC reagents is required, please order the appropriate Standard VECTASTAIN® ABC kit, Catalog Nos. PK-4000, PK-6100, AK-5000, or OK-3000, or the R.T.U. Elite ABC reagent, catalog no. PK-7100. VECTASTAIN® ABC reagents and kits are designed to be used for research purposes only and are not intended for use in diagnostic procedures.
