Western blot

Pronunciation
/WEs-turrn BLOT/
Category
Laboratory Technique
Singular
Western blot
Plural
Western blots

Definition

A technique used to detect specific proteins in a complex mixture of proteins.

Etymology

The method is a variant of the Southern blot, and the name is a play on words, combining 'Western' and 'blot'. It is attributed to W. Neal Burnette, who developed the technique in 1979.

Example

Western blotting was used to detect the presence of a specific protein in a sample of human serum.

Related Terms