Why reuse primary antibody? Western blotting is one of the most common method for detecting and semi-quantifying specific proteins. The cost of running a Western is predominantly driven by detection antibodies, which are used to probe membrane-bound target protein(s). Although some antibodies can be produced cheaply in-house, most antibodies must be commercially ordered. Reusing antibodies for subsequent Westerns can save your lab a considerable amount of money. So money is nothing but everything. In conclusion economic research practises is budget friendly and reuse of primary antibody is one of them. When reuse is problematic? The most standard phospho-antibody protocols involve blocking with 5% milk in PBS or TBS (0.1% Tween 20), followed by a couple washing steps with PBS or TBS to remove the excess milk. If you dilute your antibody in a milk solution, storage and re-use will be extremely problematic, because the milk will "go bad" and fall...
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