What is the Western Blot?
A western blot is a laboratory analysis technique which is used to isolate proteins. It can be used in the diagnosis of certain diseases, and also in research on various proteins and processes. Famously, the western blot is linked with diagnosis of HIV infection, but it can also be used to look for traces of bovine spongiform encephalitis (BSE) and Lyme disease. Samples sent out for testing with a western blot protocol can return results in a few days to several weeks, depending on the lab capacity and the urgency. In a western blot, the sample, which can be from blood or tissue, is first put through electrophoresis so that the proteins will separate out by length. A strip of the electrophoresis gel with isolated proteins of the target length can be used to transfer the proteins to a nitrocellulose substrate for the next stage of the test. During this stage, an antibody is introduced to the sample, with the goal of tagging the proteins with antigens which that antibody locks on to. Onc