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. 2013 Dec;63(6):869-76.
doi: 10.1111/his.12225. Epub 2013 Sep 16.

Antibodies are forever: a study using 12-26-year-old expired antibodies

Maria C Argentieri  1 , Daniela Pilla, Alice Vanzati, Silvia Lonardi, Fabio Facchetti, Claudio Doglioni, Carlo Parravicini, Giorgio Cattoretti
Affiliations

Antibodies are forever: a study using 12-26-year-old expired antibodies

Maria C Argentieri et al. Histopathology. 2013 Dec.

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the shelf-life of diagnostic antibodies is longer than the expiry date on the label.

Methods and results: Four independent laboratories tested a small number of diagnostic antibodies kept at +4°C for 12-26 years, and found them to work perfectly on routine histology sections.

Conclusions: Diagnostic antibodies may have a workable half-life in excess of 10 years, and the emphasis on performance should shift to the preservation of antigenic targets in the tissue.

Keywords: antibody; expiry date; immunohistochemistry.

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