Buffers

Buffers are solutions that resist pH change, making them essential reagents for biological and biochemical applications. Buffers are so widely used that nearly any application or procedure can have its own dedicated buffering solution. Loading buffers are added to nucleic acid or protein samples to facilitate their loading into gel wells prior to electrophoresis. Meanwhile, running buffers are needed to immerse the gels. In Western blotting, transfer buffers are used to carry out the electrophoretic transfer of proteins from gels onto membranes. When working with antibodies, such as in blots, ELISAs, immunoassays, and immunostaining, blocking buffers prevent the non-specific binding of antibodies, ensuring that the signal detected comes from the target analytes. In cell culture, in which the pH must be carefully maintained for optimal cell growth, common buffers added to media include HEPES and PBS. Cell dissociation buffers are also used for transferring and collecting cells. Browse our extensive product catalog listing a wide variety of buffers from leading life science reagent suppliers.