3,3'-Diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride hydrate

Grey to brownish-purple crystalline powder

3,3'-diaminobenzidine-tetrahydrochloride-dihydrate(DAB) was used as a chromogen, for detecting the antigen-antibody complex. It is one of the most potent marker being used in immunochemistry, mostly at the electron and light microscope levels. It is used as a histological stain for peroxidase activity. Reaction between 3,3'-Diaminobenzidine and peroxidase forms a visible insoluble product. This approach has been used to assay activity of glutamate decarboxylase in rat cerebellar sections and to detect horseradish peroxidase presence on cultured cell surfaces.

3,3′-Diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride hydrate can be used in HRP-based assays suitable for immunohistology staining procedures, western blotting, and FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization). DAB is used in studying epithelial cell apoptosis in the event of early cataracts, and immunohistochemistry protocols of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (PKD).

3,3′-Diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride hydrate, also, known as DAB HCl is designed as an immunohistology stain to visualize peroxidase activity in cells. DAB oxidation can be measured using a spectrophotometer.

In the peroxidase reaction, DAB serves as a hydrogen donor in the presence of peroxide. The oxidized DAB forms an insoluble brown-colored complex.