in situ hybridization (ISH)

Indications

• detection of virus DNA or RNA in infected cells

Methods

• allows direct visualization of specific sequence of DNA or RNA at the cellular level
• sensitivity is low*
• presence of relatively large amounts of DNA or RNA is necessary for visualization

* fluorescence in situ hybridization increases sensitivity

Specimen

• fixed tissue sections
• exfoliated cells (smears or cytospin preparations)
• samples must adhere to glass slides for microscopy

Turnaround time: generally 3-7 days

More general terms

• nucleic acid hybridization

More specific terms

• fluorescence in situ hybridization