Histochemistry includes tissue processing, embedding, sectioning, and staining, as well as cryosectioning and staining of frozen tissue. Methods include general and complex histological procedures, special staining, immunohistochemistry (ICH), in situ hybridization (ISH), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and laser capture microdissection.

Immunohistochemistry involves specific antigen-antibody reactions and has become a crucial technique widely used in many medical research laboratories as well as clinical diagnostics.

In situ hybridization (ISH) uses labeled complementary DNA or RNA strands to localize a specific DNA or RNA sequence in a portion or section of tissue or, if the tissue is small enough, the entire tissue (whole mount ISH). DNA ISH can be used to determine the structure of chromosomes. FISH can, for example, be used in medical diagnostics to assess chromosomal integrity. RNA ISH is used to measure and localize mRNAs and other transcripts within tissue sections or whole mounts.

Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is a relatively new technique which makes the harvesting of individual cell or cellular components from tissue sections possible. Such harvested materials can provide DNAs, RNAs, proteins, and metabolites for a plethora of applications, including gene expression profiling, proteomic analyses and metabolite analyses of individual cells and tissue types.