When Proteintech’s FlexAble Antibody Labeling Kits were launched they seemed to propose the impossible: Extremely fast antibody labeling in any buffer, at any antibody concentration, and with a non-covalent bond that rivals the stability of a covalent conjugation. The kits were engineered to address many downsides to current antibody labeling methods and make experimental design easier.
Before the launch of FlexAble, labeling of antibodies involved lengthy and difficult procedures. Traditional conjugation protocols require large amounts of antibody at high concentrations and are not compatible with many storage buffer ingredients. These traditional conjugation methods result in significant antibody loss during the buffer exchange and dye removal steps and can also cause damage to the antibody’s integrity and performance.
Proteintech’s FlexAble Antibody Labeling Kits are based on a novel technology that allows antibodies to be labeled quickly and reliably in just 10 minutes with a simple two-step process. The kits label as little as 0.5 µg of antibody in any storage buffer yielding a homogenous, well-defined antibody that is fully functional without aggregation or loss. The technology is comprised of a FlexLinker containing the label of choice, which binds tightly in a site-specific manner to the antibody’s Fc region within minutes, and once bound it does not release from the antibody.
This breakthrough technology is the first solution that easily allows the use of unconjugated primary antibodies from the same species in a single experiment with a simplified workflow. By labeling the antibodies prior to the experiment you can eliminate the challenging sequential staining protocol and extra background that can occur when using multiple same-species antibodies in the same sample.
The FlexAble kits have been thoroughly validated with primary antibodies from different suppliers in multiple applications including flow cytometry, immunofluorescent staining of tissues and cells, western blot, chromogenic IHC, Tyramide Signal Amplification, and use with Streptavidin conjugated dyes. The easy protocol consisting of two pipetting steps allows even inexperienced researchers to perform reliable and consistent labeling in their own lab, removing barriers to experimental design that have hindered research and multiplex assays.
Since the initial launch, FlexAble’s rapidly expanding catalog has grown to include kits to label four different antibody isotypes with a range of six fluorophores, HRP, and Biotin. Kits for additional antibody isotypes and detection methods are currently in development and will further expand researcher access to labeled antibodies. By allowing researchers to get more data from a single antibody vial and save time otherwise spent on complex protocols, FlexAble Antibody Labeling Kits are helping labs accelerate their discoveries.