Molecular Instruments Launches HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH for Manual Workflows, Enabling Extreme-Sensitivity RNA Imaging in an Accessible Format

By: Molecular Instruments via Business Wire

June 16, 2025 at 11:00 AM EDT

Molecular Instruments® (MI), inventor of the HCR™ technology, today announces the launch of HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH for manual workflows, expanding the unmatched performance and versatility of the HCR™ imaging platform by enabling extreme-sensitivity RNA imaging with chromogenic or fluorescent staining in an accessible and flexible format tailored for hands-on research applications.

HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH integrates enzymatic signal amplification to enable extreme-sensitivity RNA imaging for the most demanding targets/samples when signal-to-background is at an absolute premium. For example, the assay facilitates rapid scanning of a low-expression target in a highly-autofluorescent sample over a large field-of-view at low magnification.

“HCR™ products are known for redefining what’s possible for RNA imaging in challenging contexts,” said Cameron Earl, Director of Product Management at Molecular Instruments. “HCR™ Pro has already elevated that standard on the leading automated platforms. Now we’re excited to offer the extreme sensitivity of HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH to researchers using manual assays on the full gamut of sample types from whole-mount embryos to ultrathick brain slices.”

HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH pioneers entirely protease-free workflows in tissue sections, preserving sample morphology and maintaining protein target integrity, enabling seamless compatibility with existing immunohistochemistry (IHC)/immunofluorescence (IF) assays.

The assay employs HCR™ HiFi Probes available from MI’s Infinite Catalog for any target RNA in any organism across the tree of life with no design fee and backed by the HCR™ HiFi Probe Promise. Chromogenic staining offers the convenience of brightfield microscopy and the option of archival staining. Fluorescent staining offers the convenience of spectrally distinct channels for multiplex RNA-FISH/IF workflows.

Learn more about manual HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH.

About Molecular Instruments

Molecular Instruments® (www.molecularinstruments.com) develops and synthesizes molecular kits powered by the breakthrough HCR™ imaging platform for applications in academic research, drug development, synthetic biology, and clinical pathology and diagnostics.