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Billing and shipping FAQ

 

How do I order and pay?

  • Place an order for one or more kits at the Molecular Instruments® online store.

  • You will receive an email quote which you can use to upload your purchase order.

  • Your institution will receive an email invoice at time of shipment.

  • Payment is due by ACH or wire transfer within 30 days of the invoice date. 

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Can I cancel my order? 

Yes! You can cancel your order up until the time your purchase order is accepted. Please contact the Molecular Instruments Team (support@molecularinstruments.com).

 

Do you offer academic discounts? 

Yes! If your organization is a university, government lab, or non-profit research institute, you are eligible for academic pricing. Register to see applicable discounts. 

 

What are your estimated shipping times? 

Upon receiving a valid purchase order, we aim to ship as follows:​​

  • HCR™ HiFi Probe: 5-10 business days 

  • HCR™ HiFi Encoder: 1-5 business days

  • HCR™ HiFi Buffers: 1 business day

  • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: 1 business day

  • HCR™ Gold Buffers: 1 business day

  • HCR™ Pro Amplifier kit: 1 business day

  • HCR™ Pro Amplifier Wash Buffer: 1 business day

  • HCR™ 2º Antibody Probe: 1-5 business days

  • Custom HCR™ Gold Amplifier: please contact us

Billing shipping FAQ

Ordering HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH FAQ

 

I've never used HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH — what’s the best way to get started? 

We offer new users a complimentary HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH Starter Kit! Please register for an account and fill out this questionnaire.

 

What comes in an HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kit?

  • HCR™ HiFi Probe backed by the HCR™ HiFi Probe Promise 

  • HCR™ HiFi Probe Hybridization Buffer

  • HCR™ HiFi Probe Wash Buffer

  • HCR™ Gold Amplifier

  • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer

  • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer 

 

Can I order a subset of these components?
Yes! You can order kits containing any subset of the above components. 

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What HCR™ Gold Amplifiers are available for multiplexing?  

  • For multiplex experiments, choose a different HCR™ Gold Amplifier (X1, X2, ..., X10) and label (405, 425, 488, 514, 546, 594, 633, 647, 700, 750, 800) for each target that will be imaged in the same sample (for example, amplifier X3-647 for target 1, amplifier X2-546 for target 2, . . . ).

  • We recommend labels (488, 546, 647, 750) for robust 4-plex bandpass imaging.

  • We recommend labels (405, 425, 488, 514, 546, 594, 633, 700, 750, 800) for robust 10-plex spectral imaging.

  • For flexibility, amplifiers X1, X2, and X3 are available with multiple label options (488, 546, 647), while for expanded multiplexing, amplifiers X4–X10 are each available with one label option.

  • We recommend using a longer-wavelength label (e.g., 647 or 750) for targets that are more difficult to detect (e.g., low-expression target and/or short target sequence), as autofluorescence tends to be higher in shorter-wavelength channels (e.g., 405 or 488).

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What do I order for a multiplex HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH experiment?

  • Order one HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kit for each target RNA:

    • HCR™ HiFi Probe (for use with a different amplifier for each target)

    • HCR™ HiFi Probe Hybridization Buffer 

    • HCR™ HiFi Probe Wash Buffer  

    • HCR™ Gold Amplifier (for example, amplifier X3 with label 647 for target 1, amplifier X2 with label 546 for target 2, …)

    • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer

    • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer

    • Note: buffers only needed in one kit 

  • Example 3-plex experiment: 

    • HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kit for target RNA1:

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe: for target RNA1 for use with amplifier X3

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe Hybridization Buffer (for use with all kits)

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe Wash Buffer (for use with all kits) 

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X3 with label 647

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer (for use with all kits)

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer (for use with all kits) 

    • HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kit for target RNA2:​

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe: target RNA2 for use with amplifier X2

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X2 with label 546​

    • HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kit for target RNA3:​

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe: target RNA3 for use with amplifier X1

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X1 with label 488​​

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Can I order an HCR™ Gold Amplifier labeled with a custom fluorophore? 

Please contact us. 

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Gold RNA-FISH FAQ

Ordering HCR™ Gold IF FAQ

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Can I multiplex with same-species/isotype primaries?

  • Yes! With the HCR™ HiFi Encoder, same-species/isotype primary antibodies can be multiplexed in parallel without cross-reactivity. Each encoded antibody is uniquely paired with its corresponding HCR™ Gold Amplifier system (X1, X2, X3, X4, or X8), allowing multiple same-species primaries to be used simultaneously in the same sample.

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Are HCR™ Gold Amplifiers interchangeable between HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kits and HCR™ Gold IF kits?

  • Yes! The HCR™ Gold Amplifiers (X1, X2, X3, X4, or X8) are interchangeable between HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH and HCR™ Gold IF kits. Likewise, HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer and HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer are interchangeable between HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH and HCR™ Gold IF kits.

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Do carriers or amine-containing buffers interfere with HCR™ HiFi Encoding?

  • Encoding is compatible with common carriers and buffers, including BSA, glycerol, Tris buffer, and preservatives such as sodium azide.

 

Can encoded antibodies be stored after labeling?

  • Encoded antibodies are best used soon after preparation. We recommend encoding shortly before your experiment, ideally within 48 hours. However, because the stability of different primary antibodies can vary, you may wish to assess storage conditions empirically for your antibodies.

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What comes in an HCR™ Gold IF kit?

  • HCR™ HiFi Encoder

  • HCR™ HiFi Antibody Buffer

  • HCR™ HiFi Antibody Wash Buffer

  • HCR™ Gold Amplifier

  • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer

  • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer​​​

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Can I order a subset of these components?
Yes. You can order kits containing any subset of the above components. 

​​

What do I order for a multiplex HCR™ IF experiment?

  • Use your own trusted 1º antibodies (same host species/isotype for each target protein if desired; e.g., 10-plex experiment using Rabbit IgG 1º antibodies for all 10 target proteins)

  • Order one HCR™ Gold IF kit per target protein:

    • HCR™ HiFi Encoder (each for use with a different amplifier)

    • HCR™ HiFi Antibody Buffer 

    • HCR™ HiFi Antibody Wash Buffer

    • HCR™ Gold Amplifier per target (for example, amplifier X3 with label 647 for target 1, amplifier X2 with label 546 for target 2, …)

    • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer

    • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer

    • Note: buffers only needed in one kit 

  • Example 3-plex experiment: 

    • HCR™ Gold IF kit for target Protein1:​

      • 1º antibody: Rabbit IgG Anti-Protein1 (your own 1º antibody) 

      • HCR™ HiFi Encoder: Rabbit IgG for amplifier X3

      • HCR™ HiFi Antibody Buffer (for use with all kits)​

      • HCR™ HiFi Antibody Wash Buffer (for use with all kits)

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X3 with label 647

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer (for use with all kits)

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer (for use with all kits) 

    • HCR™ Gold IF kit for target Protein2:

      • 1º antibody: Rabbit IgG Anti-Protein2 (your own 1º antibody)

      • HCR™ HiFi Encoder: Rabbit IgG for amplifier X2

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X2 with label 546

    • HCR™ Gold IF kit for target Protein3:

      • 1º antibody: Rabbit IgG Anti-Protein3 (your own 1º antibody) 

      • HCR™ HiFi Encoder: Rabbit IgG for amplifier X1

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X1 with label 488

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Gold IF FAQ

Ordering HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH/IF FAQ

 

What do I order for a multiplex HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH/IF experiment?

  • Order one HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kit per target RNA (see above for details)

  • Order one HCR™ Gold IF kit per target protein (see above for details) 

  • Example 4-plex experiment (2 RNAs, 2 proteins): â€‹

    • HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kit for target RNA1:

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe: target RNA1 for use with amplifier X3

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe Hybridization Buffer (for use with all RNA-FISH kits)

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe Wash Buffer (for use with all RNA-FISH kits)

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X3 with label 647

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer (for use with all RNA-FISH and IF kits)

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer (for use with all RNA-FISH and IF kits)

    • HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kit for target RNA2:​

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe: target RNA2 for use with amplifier X4

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X4 with label 750

    • HCR™ Gold IF kit for target Protein1:

      • 1º antibody: Rabbit IgG Anti-Protein1 (your own 1º antibody) 

      • HCR™ HiFi Encoder: Rabbit IgG for amplifier X1

      • HCR™ HiFi Antibody Buffer (for use with all IF kits) ​

      • HCR™ HiFi Antibody Wash Buffer (for use with all IF kits)

      • HCR™ Gold amplifier: X1 with label 488

    • HCR™ Gold IF kit for target Protein2:

      • 1º antibody: Rabbit IgG Anti-Protein2 (your own 1º antibody) 

      • HCR™ HiFi Encoder: Rabbit IgG for amplifier X2

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X2 with label 546

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Are HCR™ Gold Amplifiers interchangeable between HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kits and HCR™ Gold IF kits?

Yes! The HCR™ Gold Amplifiers (488, 546, 647) are interchangeable between HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH and HCR™ Gold IF kits. Likewise, HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer and HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer are interchangeable between HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH and HCR™ Gold IF kits. 

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Gold RNA-FISH/IF FAQ

Ordering HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH FAQ

 

I've never used HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH — what’s the best way to get started? 

We offer new users a complimentary HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH Starter Kit! Please register for an account and fill out this questionnaire. 

 

What comes in an HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH kit?

  • HCR™ HiFi Probe backed by the HCR™ HiFi Probe Promise 

  • HCR™ HiFi Probe Hybridization Buffer

  • HCR™ HiFi Probe Wash Buffer

  • HCR™ Pro Amplifier kit​

    • Pretreat

    • HCR™ Pro Detect A​

    • HCR™ Pro Detect B​

    • HCR™ Pro Detect C​

    • HCR™ Pro Detect D​

    • HCR™ Pro Detect E​

    • HCR™ Pro Detect F HRP

    • Post-Process

  • HCR™ Pro Amplifier Wash Buffer

  • Matisse® chromogen kit (complimentary)

    • Matisse® Green or Matisse® Brown

    • Matisse® Green Buffer or Matisse® Brown Buffer

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The HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH kit is used with an HRP chromogen for RNA-CISH (e.g., Matisse® Green or Matisse® Brown) or an HRP fluorogenic substrate for RNA-FISH (e.g., any of a variety of recommended third-party fluorescent tyramides).

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Can I order a subset of an HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH kit? 

Yes, you can order any subset of the following:

  • HCR™ HiFi Probe 

  • HCR™ HiFi Probe Hybridization Buffer

  • HCR™ HiFi Probe Wash Buffer

  • HCR™ Pro Amplifier kit​

  • HCR™ Pro Amplifier Wash Buffer

  • Matisse® chromogen kit (complimentary)

Note that the components of the HCR™ Pro Amplifier kit are used at the same rate so they cannot be ordered individually. 

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Can I use HCR™ HiFi Probes with either HCR™ Gold or HCR™ Pro? HCR™ HiFi Probes come in systems X1-X10. HCR™ Gold kits use X1-X10 probes (supporting 10-plex experiments). HCR™ Pro kits use X2 probes (supporting 1-plex experiments). So any X2 HCR™ HiFi Probe can be used for either HCR™ Gold or HCR™ Pro. Note that the forthcoming HCR™ Ultra will support multiplex experiments using a subset of X1-X10 probes (details TBA). 

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Can I use HCR™ HiFi Probe Hybridization Buffer and HCR™ HiFi Probe Wash Buffer with either HCR™ Gold or HCR™ Pro?

Yes, HCR™ HiFi Probe Hybridization Buffer and HCR™ HiFi Probe Wash Buffer are each the same between HCR™ Gold and HCR™ Pro kits. However, note that HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer and HCR™ Pro Amplifier Wash Buffer are different, and must be used for HCR™ Gold and HCR™ Pro, respectively. 

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Do you recommend specific HRP substrates for use with HCR™ Pro?  

Yes.

  • RNA-CISH: For chromogenic staining, HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH protocols have been optimized for Matisse® Green and Matisse® Brown; other third-party HRP chromogens can be used as desired (follow the manufacturer's instructions).

  • RNA-FISH: For fluorescent staining, HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH protocols have been validated for a variety of recommended third-party fluorescent tyramides (see table in HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH User Guide).

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Can I combine HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH with traditional IHC/IF for simultaneous RNA and protein imaging?  

Yes, HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH is compatible with traditional immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence (IF). We recommend performing the HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH assay first followed by a Post-Process incubation before proceeding to traditional IHC/IF. 

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Pro RNA-ISH FAQ
Gold vs (v3.0) FAQ

HCR™ Gold, HCR™ (v3.0), HCR™ Pro, and HCR™ Ultra FAQ

 

Are HCR™ Gold kits compatible with HCR™ (v3.0) kits?

No. HCR™ (v3.0) is based on B-system amplifiers (B1, B2, ...) whereas HCR™ Gold, HCR™ Pro, and the forthcoming HCR™ Ultra product line are based on X-system amplifiers (X1, X2, ...). B-system amplifiers and X-system amplifiers are not compatible, so HCR™ (v3.0) and HCR™ Gold cannot be used in the same experiment. 

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What is the difference between HCR™ Gold and HCR™ (v3.0)?

  • HCR™ Gold enhances signal-to-background in diverse sample types.

  • HCR™ Gold provides standardized ingredients for robust 10-plex HCR™ spectral imaging with no repeated staining, imaging, stripping, or registration. 

  • HCR™ Gold Probe Wash Buffer excludes formamide, simplifying waste management for the buffer used in the highest volume.

  • HCR™ Gold, HCR™ Ultra, and HCR™ Pro all use HCR™ HiFi Probes backed by the HCR™ HiFi Probe Promise.

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If HCR™ (v3.0) is working great for my ongoing projects, can I continue to use it? 

Yes. We plan to offer HCR™ (v3.0) kits for years to come to support your ongoing projects. For new projects, we recommend using HCR™ Gold. 

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What is HCR™ Ultra? 

Like HCR™ Pro (enzymatic next-gen amplification; chromogenic or fluorescent staining; 1-plex), the forthcoming HCR™ Ultra (enzyme-free next-gen amplification; fluorescent staining; multiplex TBA) will enable extreme-sensitivity RNA imaging for the most demanding targets/samples when signal-to-background is at an absolute premium (e.g., rapid scanning of a low-expression target in a highly-autofluorescent sample over a large field-of-view at low magnification). â€‹

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What is the Infinite Catalog? 

For organisms in our Infinite Catalog, you will see suggested target matches as you type, each accompanied by an optimized sequence from NCBI. Whether your target is already in the Infinite Catalog or just joining it, HCR™ HiFi Probes for any target RNA in any organism across the tree of life are designed by the MI Team using MI's proprietary probe design process with no design fee. All HCR™ HiFi Probes are backed by the HCR™ HiFi Probe Promise. 

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Are HCR™ HiFi Probes compatible with HCR™ Gold, HCR™ Pro, and HCR™ Ultra kits? Yes, for the X-system HCR™ HiFi Probes supported by each product line. HCR™ Gold kits use X1-X10 probes (up to 10-plex). HCR™ Pro kits use X2 probes (1-plex). So any X2 HCR™ HiFi Probe can be used for either HCR™ Gold or HCR™ Pro. HCR™ Ultra will use a subset of X1-X10 probes (multiplex TBA).  

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Will it be possible to use HCR™ Gold and HCR™ Ultra together in the same experiments?  

Yes. HCR™ Ultra and HCR™ Gold will both use X-system amplifiers (X1, X2, ...) so you will be able to use both technologies for different targets in the same experiment. 

 

What if I have more questions about HCR™ (v3.0), HCR™Gold, HCR™ Ultra, or HCR™ Pro? 

Please contact the MI Team so we can help support your research (support@molecularinstruments.com). 

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Gold 2ºIF FAQ

Ordering HCR™ Gold 2ºIF FAQ

 

What comes in an HCR™ Gold 2ºIF kit?

  • HCR™ 2º Antibody Probe

  • HCR™ Antibody Buffer

  • HCR™ Gold Amplifier

  • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer

  • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer

​

Can I order a subset of these components?
Yes! You can order kits containing any subset of the above components. 

​

What do I order for a multiplex HCR™ 2ºIF experiment?

  • Use your own 1º antibody of choice for each target protein (each 1º antibody raised in a different host organism)

  • Order one HCR™ Gold 2ºIF kit per target protein:

    • HCR™ 2º Antibody Probe per target (each 2º antibody probe for use with a different 1º antibody and amplifier)

    • HCR™ Antibody Buffer 

    • HCR™ Gold Amplifier per target (for example, amplifier X3 with label 647 for target 1, amplifier X2 with label 546 for target 2, …)

    • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer

    • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer

    • Note: buffers only needed in one kit 

  • Example 3-plex experiment: 

    • HCR™ Gold 2ºIF kit for target Protein1:

      • 1º antibody: Rabbit Anti-Protein1 (your own 1º antibody) 

      • HCR™ 2º Antibody Probe: Donkey Anti-Rabbit for use with amplifier X3

      • HCR™ Antibody Buffer (for use with all kits) 

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X3 with label 647

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer  (for use with all kits)

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer (for use with all kits) 

    • HCR™ Gold 2ºIF kit for target Protein2:

      • 1º antibody: Mouse Anti-Protein2 (your own 1º antibody) 

      • HCR™ 2º Antibody ​Probe: Donkey Anti-Mouse for use with amplifier X2

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X2 with label 546​

    • HCR™ Gold 2ºIF kit for target Protein3:

      • 1º antibody: Rat Anti-Protein3 (your own 1º antibody) 

      • HCR™ 2º Antibody ​Probe: Donkey Anti-Rat for use with amplifier X1

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X1 with label 488

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Gold RNA-FISH/2ºIF FAQ

Ordering HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH/2ºIF FAQ

 

What do I order for a multiplex HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH/2ºIF experiment?

  • Order one HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kit per target RNA (see above for details)

  • Order one HCR™ Gold 2ºIF kit per target protein (see above for details) 

  • Example 4-plex experiment (2 RNAs, 2 proteins): â€‹

    • HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kit for target RNA1:

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe: target RNA1 for use with amplifier X3

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe Hybridization Buffer (for use with all RNA-FISH kits)

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe Wash Buffer (for use with all RNA-FISH kits)

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X3 with label 647

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer (for use with all RNA-FISH and IF kits)

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer (for use with all RNA-FISH and IF kits)

    • HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kit for target RNA2:​

      • HCR™ HiFi Probe: target RNA2 for use with amplifier X4

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X4 with label 750

    • HCR™ Gold 2ºIF kit for target Protein1:

      • 1º antibody: Rabbit Anti-Protein1 (your own 1º antibody) 

      • HCR™ 2º Antibody ​Probe: Donkey Anti-Rabbit for use with amplifier X1

      • HCR™ Antibody Buffer (for use with all IF kits) ​

      • HCR™ Gold amplifier: X1 with label 488

    • HCR™ Gold 2ºIF kit for target Protein2:

      • 1º antibody: Mouse Anti-Protein2 (your own 1º antibody) 

      • HCR™ 2º Antibody ​Probe: Donkey Anti-Mouse for use with amplifier X2

      • HCR™ Gold Amplifier: X2 with label 546

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Are HCR™ Gold Amplifiers interchangeable between HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH kits and HCR™ Gold 2ºIF kits?

Yes! The HCR™ Gold Amplifiers (488, 546, 647) are interchangeable between HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH and HCR™ Gold 2ºIF kits. Likewise, HCR™ Gold Amplifier Buffer and HCR™ Gold Amplifier Wash Buffer are interchangeable between HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH and HCR™ Gold 2ºIF kits. 

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Molecular Instruments FAQ

Molecular Instruments FAQ

 

Should I share my images with the MI Team?
Yes! We are always excited to see images from your research! 

​

What if I have other questions? 
Please contact the Molecular Instruments Team (support@molecularinstruments.com). 

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