Western Blotting; an Analytical Technique Used To Detect, Analyze, and Quantify Proteins

Western Blotting

Western Blotting is a laboratory technique used to detect a specific protein in blood or tissue sample. This analytical technique is widely used in research separate and identify proteins. The mixture of proteins is separated based on the molecular weight, and thus by type, through gel electrophoresis.

Western blot is an important technique used in cell and molecular biology. By using a western blot, or western blot, researchers are able to identify specific proteins from a complex mixture of proteins extracted from cells.

The Western Blotting Market was worth US$ 605.7 million in 2017 and is projected to be worth US$ 993.4 million by the end of 2027.

Transfer, blocking, primary antibody incubation, secondary antibody incubation, protein detection, and western blot analysis are major steps involved in western blot procedure and detection assay.

The analytical technique is widely used in both diagnostics and confirmatory tests and blood doping tests and for qualitative analysis of cells and proteins. Western blot is a powerful technique that helps detect proteins, estimate quantities, and determine their molecular weights starting from a mixture of proteins extracted from cells or tissues.

Western Blotting is often used for the confirmatory medical diagnosis of infectious diseases, such as HIV, Lyme disease, hepatitis C infection, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), syphilis, certain autoimmune disorders (e.g., paraneoplastic disease), and inflammatory muscle conditions such as myositis, among others.

The test is typically used to confirm HIV. The confirmatory HIV test employs a western blot to detect anti-HIV antibody in a sample. Due to its high sensitivity and automated processing, it helps detect and diagnose various diseases.

Clinical Diagnostic refers to the process of identifying a disease or medical condition based on the symptoms exhibited by a patient. The diagnosis is made after conducting a thorough physical examination, taking a detailed medical history, and conducting various diagnostic tests such as blood tests, imaging tests, and biopsies.

These tests help in identifying the underlying cause of the symptoms and determining the most appropriate treatment options. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and can help improve patient outcomes.

For instance, Maxim's Cambridge biotech HIV-1 Serum Western Blot Kit is FDA (the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved in-vitro qualitative assay for the detection and identification of antibodies to HIV-1 contained in human serum or plasma.

Moreover, in January 2021, Bio-Rad Laboratories (US) announced the launch of Bio-Rad Western Blotting Learning Center, a library that provides comprehensive resources, information, and guidance to help researchers improve their experimental western blot approaches to obtain high-quality data.