COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR REMOVAL OF BOUND DETECTION AGENTS

1 . A composition for removing one or more bound detection agent from a stained biological sample or surface comprising:

(i) a reductant; and

(ii) a denaturant.

2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the biological sample comprises a tissue sample, or wherein the surface comprises a sensor, an electrode, and/or a hydrogel.

3 . (canceled)

4 . (canceled)

5 . (canceled)

6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the reductant comprises at least one of beta-mercaptoethanol, Lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4), Red-Al (NaAlH2(OCH2CH2OCH3)2), Nascent (atomic) hydrogen, Hydrogen without or with a suitable catalyst e.g. a Lindlar catalyst, Sodium amalgam (Na(Hg)), Sodium-lead alloy (Na + Pb), Zinc amalgam (Zn(Hg)), Diborane Sodium borohydride (NaBH4), Compounds containing the Fe2+ ion, such as iron(II) sulfate, Compounds containing the Sn2+ ion such as tin(II) chloride, Sulfur dioxide, Sulfite compounds, Dithionates (Na2S206), Thiosulfates (Na2S2O3), Iodides (KI), Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), Hydrazine (Wolff-Kishner reduction), Diisobutylaluminium hydride (DIBAL-H), Oxalic acid (C2H2O4), Formic acid (HCOOH), Ascorbic acid (C6H806), Reducing sugars, Phosphites, hypophosphites, and phosphorous acid, Dithiothreitol (DTT), Carbon monoxide (CO), Cyanides in hydrochemical metallurgical processes, Carbon (C), Tris-2-carboxyethylphosphine hydrochloride (TCEP), and/or tris-hydroxypropyl phosphine (THPP), and wherein the denaturant comprises at least one of guanidinium thiocyanate, ammonium thiocyanate, urea, guanidine, guanidium chloride, lithium perchlorate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, acetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, sulfosalicylic acid, sodium bicarbonate, Dodecaborate (B 12 H 12 ) -2 , ethanol, formaldehyde, and/or glutaraldehyde.

7 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein the reductant comprises tris-hydroxypropyl phosphine, and/or wherein the denaturant comprises guanidinium thiocyanate.

8 . (canceled)

9 . (canceled)

10 . The composition of claim 7 , wherein the reductant comprises tris-hydroxypropyl phosphine, and the denaturant comprises guanidinium thiocyanate.

11 . The composition of claim 10 , wherein the reductant comprises THPP in aqueous solution at a concentration of between about 1 to 100 mg/mL, and the denaturant comprises guanidinium thiocyanate in aqueous solution at a concentration of between about 1 M to 6 M.

12 . (canceled)

13 . (canceled)

14 . (canceled)

15 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the one or more bound detection agent comprises at least one of a dye, antibody, nanobody, lectin, glycan-binding protein, recombinant protein, peptide, antibody fragment such as Fab, streptavidin, avidin, dendrimer, aptamer, enzyme such as horse radish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or glucose oxidase, oligonucleotide, optionally labeled probe such as an oligonucleotide probe, single-stranded DNA probe, double-stranded DNA probe, branched DNA probe, and/or RNA probe, and/or any combination thereof.

16 . A method for removing one or more bound detection agent from a stained biological sample or surface, the method comprising:

(i) providing a stained biological sample or surface;

(ii) applying a reductant to the sample; and

(iii) applying a denaturant to the sample.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the biological sample comprises a tissue sample, or wherein the surface comprises a sensor, an electrode, and/or a hydrogel.

18 . (canceled)

19 . (canceled)

20 . (canceled)

21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the surface comprises a sensor is-functionalized with one or more binding agent and/or reactive group.

22 . (canceled)

23 . (canceled)

24 . (canceled)

25 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more bound detection agent comprises at least one of a dye, antibody, nanobody, lectin, glycan-binding protein, recombinant protein, peptide, antibody fragment such as Fab, streptavidin, avidin, dendrimer, aptamer, enzyme such as horse radish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or glucose oxidase, oligonucleotide, optionally labeled probe such as an oligonucleotide probe, single-stranded DNA probe, double-stranded DNA probe, branched DNA probe, and/or RNA probe, and/or any combination thereof.

26 . (canceled)

27 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the bound detection agent is labelled, and wherein the label comprises a dye, an enzyme, a mass tag, a nanoparticle, a quantum dot, or an oligonucleotide.

28 . (canceled)

29 . (canceled)

30 . (canceled)

31 . (canceled)

32 . (canceled)

33 . (canceled)

34 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the reductant comprises at least one of beta-mercaptoethanol, Lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4), Red-Al (NaAlH2(OCH2CH2OCH3)2), Nascent (atomic) hydrogen, Hydrogen without or with a suitable catalyst e.g. a Lindlar catalyst, Sodium amalgam (Na(Hg)), Sodium-lead alloy (Na + Pb), Zinc amalgam (Zn(Hg)), Diborane Sodium borohydride (NaBH4), Compounds containing the Fe2+ ion, such as iron(II) sulfate, Compounds containing the Sn2+ ion such as tin(II) chloride, Sulfur dioxide, Sulfite compounds, Dithionates (Na2S206), Thiosulfates (Na2S2O3), Iodides (KI), Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), Hydrazine (Wolff-Kishner reduction), Diisobutylaluminium hydride (DIBAL-H), Oxalic acid (C2H2O4), Formic acid (HCOOH), Ascorbic acid (C6H806), Reducing sugars, Phosphites, hypophosphites, and phosphorous acid, Dithiothreitol (DTT), Carbon monoxide (CO), Cyanides in hydrochemical metallurgical processes, Carbon (C), Tris-2-carboxyethylphosphine hydrochloride (TCEP) and/or tris-hydroxypropyl phosphine (THPP), and/or wherein the denaturant comprises at least one of guanidinium thiocyanate, ammonium thiocynate, urea, guanidine, guanidium chloride, lithium perchlorate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, acetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, sulfosalicylic acid, sodium bicarbonate, Dodecaborate (B 12 H 12 ) -2 , ethanol, formaldehyde, and/or glutaraldehyde.

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the reductant comprises tris-hydroxypropyl phosphine, and/or wherein the denaturant comprises guanidinium thiocyanate.

36 . (canceled)

37 . (canceled)

38 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the reductant comprises tris-hydroxypropyl phosphine, and the denaturant comprises guanidinium thiocyanate.

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the reductant comprises THPP in aqueous solution at a concentration of between about 1 to 100 mg/mL, and the denaturant comprises guanidinium thiocyanate in aqueous solution at a concentration of between about 1 M to 6 M.

40 . (canceled)

41 . (canceled)

42 . (canceled)

43 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising one or more staining steps, and further comprising a second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh detection agent removal step.

44 . (canceled)

45 . The method of claim 43 , wherein the tissue integrity and/or morphology and/or nuclear features and/or antigenicity are preserved after the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and/or seventh detection agent removal steps.

46 . A sequential method for multiplex detection comprising:

(i) identifying a plurality of target markers of interest in a biological sample or a surface;

(ii) staining the biological sample or surface with a first plurality of detection agents specific for a first plurality of target markers of interest;

(iii) optionally, detecting a visual signal that indicates the presence or absence of the markers of interest in step (ii);

(iv) removing the first plurality of bound detection agents from the stained biological sample or surface;

(v) staining the biological sample or surface with a second plurality of detection agents specific for a second plurality of target markers of interest;

(vi) optionally, detecting a visual signal that indicates the presence or absence of the markers of interest of step (v); and

(vii) optionally, repeating steps (iv)-(vi) for detection of additional markers of interest.

47 . (canceled)

48 . The method of claim 46 , wherein the biological sample comprises a tissue sample, or wherein the surface comprises a sensor, an electrode, and/or a hydrogel.

49 . (canceled)

50 . (canceled)

51 . (canceled)

52 . (canceled)

53 . The method of claim 46 , wherein steps (ii)-(vi) are repeated 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 times.

54 . (canceled)

55 . (canceled)

56 . (canceled)

57 . The method of claim 46 , wherein the method for removing a bound detection agent from a stained biological sample comprises:

(i) applying a reductant to the sample; and

(ii) applying a denaturant to the sample.

58 . The method of claim 46 , wherein the reductant comprises at least one of beta-mercaptoethanol, Lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4), Red-Al (NaAlH2(OCH2CH2OCH3)2), Nascent (atomic) hydrogen, Hydrogen without or with a suitable catalyst e.g. a Lindlar catalyst, Sodium amalgam (Na(Hg)), Sodium-lead alloy (Na + Pb), Zinc amalgam (Zn(Hg)), Diborane Sodium borohydride (NaBH4), Compounds containing the Fe2+ ion, such as iron(II) sulfate, Compounds containing the Sn2+ ion such as tin(II) chloride, Sulfur dioxide, Sulfite compounds, Dithionates (Na2S2O6), Thiosulfates (Na2S2O3), Iodides (KI), Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), Hydrazine (Wolff-Kishner reduction), Diisobutylaluminium hydride (DIBAL-H), Oxalic acid (C2H2O4), Formic acid (HCOOH), Ascorbic acid (C6H8O6), Reducing sugars, Phosphites, hypophosphites, and phosphorous acid, Dithiothreitol (DTT), Carbon monoxide (CO), Cyanides in hydrochemical metallurgical processes, Carbon (C), Tris-2-carboxyethylphosphine hydrochloride (TCEP) and/or tris-hydroxypropyl phosphine (THPP), and/or wherein the denaturant comprises at least one of guanidinium thiocyanate, ammonium thiocynate, urea, guanidine, guanidium chloride, lithium perchlorate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, acetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, sulfosalicylic acid, sodium bicarbonate, Dodecaborate (B 12 H 12 ) -2 , ethanol, formaldehyde, and/or glutaraldehyde.

59 . The method of claim 58 , wherein the reductant comprises tris-hydroxypropyl phosphine, and/or wherein the denaturant comprises guanidinium thiocyanate.

60 . (canceled)

61 . (canceled)

62 . The method of claim 59 , wherein the reductant comprises tris-hydroxypropyl phosphine, and the denaturant comprises guanidinium thiocyanate.

63 . (canceled)

64 . (canceled)

65 . The method of claim 46 , wherein the process of detecting a visual signal comprises capturing an image of the stained biological sample or surface, and wherein the captured images from each sequential round of staining are compiled into a single multiplexed image.

66 . (canceled)

67 . A kit for removing a bound detection agent from a stained biological sample comprising the composition of claim 1 .

68 . (canceled)