Western blotting
Western blotting
Western blotting (pronounced /ˈwɛstərn ˈblɒtɪŋ/), also known as protein immunoblotting and often abbreviated as WB, is a widely used analytical technique in Molecular Biology and Genetics to detect specific proteins in a sample of tissue homogenate or extract.
Etymology
The term "Western blotting" was given to the technique by W. Neal Burnette in 1981, as a play on the name of another technique called Southern blotting, which was named after its inventor, Edwin Southern. The "Western" part of the name refers to the fact that the technique is a sort of mirror image, or "western" version, of the Southern blotting technique.
Procedure
Western blotting involves the separation of proteins by gel electrophoresis, transfer of the separated proteins onto a membrane (blotting), and subsequent probing with specific antibodies. The proteins are visualized using chemiluminescence or colorimetric detection methods.
Related Terms
- Antibody: A protein produced by the body's immune system that recognizes and fights off foreign substances.
- Gel electrophoresis: A technique used to separate DNA, RNA, or proteins according to their size.
- Molecular biology: The branch of biology that deals with the structure and function of the macromolecules essential to life.
- Genetics: The study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in living organisms.
- Southern blotting: A method used in molecular biology for detection of a specific DNA sequence in DNA samples.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Western blotting
- Wikipedia's article - Western blotting
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