Invitrogen™ Normal Horse Serum

Catalog No.	Quantity
PI31874	120 mg

Catalog No. PI31874 Supplier Invitrogen™ Supplier No. 31874

Description

Horse Control

For blocking purposes, use 5% (v/v) solution (1:20 dilution from rehydrated volume). Rehydration according to instruction yields 100% serum. Restoration and Storage: Store product at 4°C until opened. Restore with 2.0 mL distilled water. Centrifuge product if it is not completely clear after standing for 1-2 hours at room temperature. Product may be stored for up to several weeks at 4°C as an undiluted liquid. After dilution, do not use for more than one day. To extend the shelf-life of this product, freeze rehydrated undiluted product in small aliquots at -20°C. Country of Origin: USA.

Normal Sera are non-immune serum samples from goat, human, mouse, rabbit and other species that contain the usual complement of serum proteins, including the various classes of immunoglobulins that exist in healthy animals of the particular species. Normal serum provides a sufficient quantity of endogenous proteins to saturate and block nonspecific binding sites on fixed samples or assay substrates. When used as an antibody diluent, non-immune serum also supplies a native chemical environment for antibodies to function properly without adding foreign protein components. Normal serum is frequently used for blocking or saturating generalized binding interactions for immunodetection methods, especially those involving tissue samples such as immunohistochemistry (IHC). Normal sera are also useful as controls for testing general and specific antibody purification methods.

Specifications

• Content And Storage: 4°C
• Form: Lyophilized
• Product Type: Normal Horse Serum
• Quantity: 120 mg
• Concentration: 60.0 mg/mL
• Sterility: Sterile
• Formulation: Whole serum, PBS with 0.05% sodium azide; pH 7.6
• For Use With (Application): Immunohistochemistry, Immunocytochemistry, Control, Blocking Assay
• Isotype: Ig
• Regulatory Status: RUO

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The antibody I purchased from you says ''concentration not determined'' on the product label and on the product page. How do I determine the concentration?

Some antibodies are provided in non-purified formats, such as ascites fluid, tissue culture supernatant, or whole serum. These formats contain multiple proteins, which can interfere with accurate protein quantification. Traditional methods like A280 measurement or protein assays such as BCA quantify total protein but do not provide a specific concentration for the antibody in question.

Literature, such as "Antibodies" by Harlow & Lane (1988) (https://antibodiesmanual.org/index.php) (Table 8.2 - Storing and Purifying Antibodies), suggests approximate concentrations of antibodies in these solutions, as shown below. However, please note that these are rough estimates, and actual concentrations can vary based on several factors.

Serum
Total antibody concentration: 10 mg/mL
Specific antibody concentration: 0.1 to 1 mg/mL (a maximum of 10% of the antibody population is expected to be the specific antibody of interest)

Tissue Culture Supernatant (10% FBS)
Total antibody concentration: 1 mg/mL
Specific antibody concentration: 0.05 mg/mL

Tissue Culture Supernatant (serum-free)
Total antibody concentration: 0.01 to 0.05 mg/mL
Specific antibody concentration: 0.01 to 0.05 mg/mL

Ascites
Total antibody concentration: 1 to 10 mg/mL
Specific antibody concentration: 0.9 to 9 mg/mL

When would I use goat, horse, or chicken serum for blocking versus FBS or BSA?

For blocking, you should use a serum of the same or closely related species of the secondary antibody being used. If using a secondary antibody that was raised in goat or sheep, use goat serum (Cat. No. R37624 or 31873) for blocking; if using a secondary antibody raised in donkey or horse, use horse serum (Cat. No. R37625 or 31874) for blocking; if using a secondary antibody raised in chicken, use chicken serum (Cat. No. R37626) for blocking. FBS and BSA are alternatives when a specific species of serum is not available.

Safety and Handling

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