Non-radioactive nucleic acid probes: labelling and detection procedures.

A comprehensive overview is given concerning the in situ hybridization techniques using non-radioactively labelled probes. Details are given on the preparation of the probes with different reporter molecules and on the corresponding revealing assays. The development of non-isotopic labelling methods for nucleic acid probes has facilitated the diffusion of the in situ hybridization techniques to the research as well as to the clinical pathology laboratory. Non-radioactive probes have several advantages over the radiolabelled ones, including cost, shelf-life, safety and, last but not least, resolution of the signal.