CHAOTROPES-ASSISTED DEEP IMMUNOSTAINING

The subject invention pertains to the use of chaotropes and a supramolecular system for histochemical staining. The system includes chaotropic ions and chaotropic ion complexing agents that act as molecular hosts to accept chaotropic ions as a molecular guest. The chaotropic ion promotes diffusion of a probe, such as an antibody into and within a tissue sample with subsequent binding of the guest to the host, or its dilution, to promote association of the antibody with a target antigen and production of an immunostaining or histochemical signal. Alternatively, small-molecule fluorescent probes can act as a molecular guest and complexed by supramolecular host to facilitate its deep penetration. A method for performing histology employs the supramolecular system with a deep homogeneous histochemistry. The method is relatively rapid, scalable, automatable, and cost effective.