1.1d detecting proteins using antibodies and microscopy

Question 1

What are immunoassay techniques used for?

Answer 1

used to detect and identify specific proteins

Question 2

How do immunoassays work?

Answer 2

• use stocks of antibodies with the same specificity, known as monoclonal antibodies
• an antibody specific to the protein antigen is inked to a chemical ‘label’
• the ‘label’ is often a reporter enzyme producing a colour change, but chemiluminescence, fluorescence and other reporters can be used
• in some cases the asset uses a specific antigen ti detect the presence of antibodies

Question 3

When is western blotting used?

Answer 3

after SDS-PAGE electrophoresis

Question 4

What is western blotting?

Answer 4

• used after SDS-PAGE electrophoresis
• the separated proteins from the gel are transferred (blotted) onto a solid medium
• the proteins can be identified using specific antibodies that have reporter enzymes attached

Question 5

What is bright field microscopy used for?

Answer 5

observe whole organisms, parts if organisms, thin sections of directed tissue or individual cells

Question 6

What is fluorescence microscopy used for?

Answer 6

used specific fluorescence labels to bind to and visualise certain molecules or structures within cells or tissues