Western Blotting (?WB) Analysis

Western blotting (WB), when used in conjunction with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, is a crucial analytical method and technique in the biological sciences. It is still a highly effective diagnostic method used in medical labs. However, its technique involves several steps that are often low throughput, resource- and time-intensive.

These days, a microfluidic western blotting (μWB) technique has been developed utilizing advancements in microfluidics to greatly optimize resources and minimize experimental cycles. Multiplexing to facilitate the probing of different proteins is also made possible by more recent developments.

The WB provides qualitative data about certain proteins present in a biological specimen. The procedure involves separating the proteins on a gel matrix, transferring them to a membrane, and then probing the membrane with antibodies that are precisely bound to the desired protein. A quick, compact, and automated WB system would be very helpful in validating the results of high-throughput proteomic techniques and other methods, given the current insights that allow for high-throughput approaches. To help with the detection of various proteins, one method combines conventional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with the transfer of separated proteins onto membranes and microfluidic manipulation.