ChromoBlog

When time in the lab is limited, learn how to save precious hours on your immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence and western blotting experiments.

Due to the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, many researchers around the world are faced with restrictions on time and resources in the lab. As we adapt to these changes, the pressure is on to find ways to save time without compromising on results. Proteintech and ChromoTek offer solutions to save you hours on your current immunoassay protocols, helping you achieve publication worthy results in a fast and reliable manner.

Introduction

Blocking is an essential step during the preparation of a sample for immunofluorescence detection. Blocking improves the sensitivity by reducing nonspecific background and therefore increases image quality. Insufficient blocking results in higher background noise and over-blocking can even mask the specific signal.

Simultaneous immunostaining, also called one-step immunostaining vs. sequential immunostaining. Nano-Secondaries stain different primary antibodies equally well in one-step staining and sequential staining.

HeLa cells were immunostained with different primary antibodies and Nano-Secondaries Alexa Fluor® 647 (1:1,000, magenta). Cell nuclei were stained with DAPI (blue). Scale bar, 20 μm.

Nano-Secondaries are monoclonal Nanobodies that bind to primary antibodies in a species and subtype specific manner, i.e. Nano-Secondaries are very precise secondary antibodies. They are recombinantly produced in bacterial or other animal-free expression systems; in contrast, classical mono- or polyclonal secondary antibodies are traditionally produced using hybridoma technologies or are isolated from a host’s blood.