Immunohistochemistry, also known as IHC, is a technique that allows the visualization and identification of specific proteins or antigens within a tissue sample. Some synonyms for immunohistochemistry include immunostaining, immunofluorescence, and immunocytology. Immunostaining refers to the process of labeling antigens with a specific antibody that has been labeled with a colored or fluorescent tag. Immunofluorescence, or IF, is similar to immunostaining, but uses fluorescent tags to allow for better visualization. Immunocytology is a variation of IHC that is used to study individual cells rather than tissue samples. These synonyms are commonly used in research and medical fields when discussing the detection and identification of proteins within biological specimens.