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

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.

When proteins need to be segregated out from a sample, protein electrophoresis may be used. Protein electrophoresis utilizes a matrix and an electrical current in order to easily separate proteins without disruption. Protein electrophoresis is beneficial for a few reasons: it can be performed on a relatively small sample size, it is accurate, and it is simple. There are a few different methods of protein electrophoresis, which may or may not involve a denaturing gel.