Secondary antibodies and primary antibodies are two groups of antibodies that are classified according to whether they bind directly to antigens or proteins or whether they bind to another antibody that in turn binds to an antigen or protein.
Primary antibodies
Primary antibodies can be very useful for detecting biomarkers for conditions such as cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, and is used to study the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) and multidrug resistance (MDR). ) of therapeutic agents.
A primary proteins is an immunoglobulin that binds specifically to a particular protein or other biomolecule of research interest for the purpose of purification or detection and measurement. Primary antibody are developed as polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies using mice, rats, rabbits, goats and other animal species as hosts.
They are produced and supplied in various forms, from crude antiserum to purified antigen preparations. This proteins for frequently researched targets, conjugated with fluorescent dyes or biotin, are also available.
What are secondary antibodies?
Secondary antibodies or a secondary antibody is an antibody that is used to bind to the immunoglobulin (IgG) domain of the primary antibody. The secondary antibody will be specific for the species and isotype of the primary antibody, in applications such as immunoblotting or immunocytochemistry. Several antibodies can bind to the same primary protein, which increases sensitivity and amplifies the signal.
Antibodies are usually conjugated with indicator molecules, enzymes such as HRP, or fluorophores such as APC, to allow detection of the primary antibody by fluorescence, colorimetry or chemiluminescence. Advantages of secondary antibodies These are used for indirect detection of a target to which a specific protein binds first.
The secondary antibody must be specific for both the antibody species and the isotype of the this antibodies used. In addition, a secondary antibody usually has a detectable label or other marker that facilitates detection or purification. Indirect detection of the target antigen using proteins requires more steps than direct detection using primary antibody.
Antibodies with specificity for this proteins of common species are commercially available, pre-configured with a wide range of common markers, including enzymatic and fluorescent conjugation options.
