The Protein Man's Blog | A Discussion of Protein Research

The choice of constant current or constant voltage will depend on several different factors that must be taken into consideration for each Western transfer test. The level of heat, duration of the test, type of proteins, the size of the transfer, and the rate of transfer will all be affected by power, voltage, and current being used to drive the test. Each factor will play a role in how well the proteins transfer and the ultimate accuracy of the test.

Antibodies are used to detect specific proteins during research. There are a variety of tests including the Western blot, that produce a surface area that can contain other proteins and components that need to be blocked. Blocking buffers are used to bind the surface areas that may attach to reagents during the testing process, preventing the non-specific antibodies from interacting with the reagents and causing a poor reading or inaccurate results. Knowing which buffers to use, however, is critical for ensuring the accuracy of a test, as each option has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Polyclonal antibodies are groups of antibodies that are able to identify many different epitopes of a particular antigen. The antibodies are derived from a selection of B cells, each one recognizing one particular epitope. A monoclonal antibody has one single source. Polyclonal antibodies are easy to store, bind much more quickly to the antigen in question, and provide more powerful protection when it comes to identifying and dealing with specific epitopes.

Viability assays are strategies and techniques that are generally used to determine whether or not an organ, cell, or tissue remains viable or could potentially recover its viability. In general, viability assays will look at the cells or tissue involved to see if they still react and move as they are supposed to. Mitotic activity, mechanical activity, and motility are all used throughout a viability assay for this reason.