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Guides for Selecting the Best Primary Antibody   1.  Species   One important factor that should be taken into consideration early in your antibody search is the species of animal in which the primary antibody was generated and whether it will be compatible with your application. If you need to use a conjugated secondary antibody to detect the primary antibody (e.g. when performing immunohistochemistry)  the primary antibody should be from a species as phylogenetically distinct as possible from the species of the sample.   This will prevent cross-reactivity between the secondary antibody and endogenous immunoglobulins in the sample.   2.  The type of antibody matters   Is it better to us a monoclonal or a polyclonal antibody?  For some proteins, you don’t have a say in the matter  you have to go with whatever antibody is available. However, if you do have a choice, choosing the right kind of antibody might increase your success.  Polyclonal antibodies, which recogni