Labeling an antibody with a specific tag has become an important and routine procedure in biological sciences and medical research. Tags, which range from visual markers such as fluorescent dyes, to hapten molecules like biotin, can be used to enhance the visibility of immune complexes and protein-protein interactions, or can be used in the isolation and purification of a protein.
When determining which type of label to choose focus on the downstream application for which the antibody will be used in. Fluorescent tags are used predominantly in cellular imaging, flow cytometry, fluorescent blotting and immunofluorescence applications, while enzymatic tags, such as HRP and AP, are commonly used for blotting, ELISAs and immunohistochemistry applications. Hapten tags such as biotin are the more versatile of the possible tag options as they can be used in protein isolation and purification, as well as, any of the aforementioned applications.
AAT Bioquest offers a comprehensive suite of antibody and protein labeling kits to choose from. Designed for the novice scientist in mind, these kits have the easiest protocols and require the least amount of hands-on experience.