In situ hybridization (ISH) is a technique that uses labeled probes to localize specific DNA or RNA sequences within cells in a tissue sample. It allows researchers to obtain information about gene expression and genetic loci in their cellular context. There are two main types of ISH - fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH). ISH requires many optimization steps for each tissue and probe used but can provide insights into physiological processes and disease pathogenesis by identifying specific mRNA sequences within individual cells.