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

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.