Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) is used for various biochemical applications including ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay), high content screening assays, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. BSA as a blocking reagent is particularly useful with casein-sensitive antibodies, such as phospho-specific antibodies. Also used as a nutrient in cell and microbial culture. In restriction digests, BSA is used to stabilize some enzymes during digestion of DNA and to prevent adhesion of the enzyme to reaction tubes and other vessels. Bovine Serum Albumin can also be used to determine the quantity of other proteins, by comparing an unknown quantity of protein to known amounts of BSA.
Store BSA at 4° C prior to restoration.