Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA): A Versatile and Indispensable Reagent in Life Science Research
Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), also known as Cohn Fraction V, is a single-chain globular protein isolated from bovine serum. Structurally, it consists of a single polypeptide chain composed of 583 amino acid residues, containing 17 pairs of disulfide bonds. With a molecular weight of approximately 66 kDa and an isoelectric point of 4.7, BSA possesses excellent stability and unique physicochemical properties. These inherent characteristics enable it to play a pivotal role in multiple life science research scenarios, making it an indispensable core reagent in fields such as molecular biology, cell biology, and protein research.
With the continuous in-depth of life science research, the demand for high-purity, high-specificity, and application-oriented BSA products is increasingly prominent. The current research frontiers of BSA mainly focus on the following aspects: First, the development of high-purity BSA with multiple characteristics (e.g., fatty acid-free, low endotoxin, protease-free, IgG-free) to meet the stringent requirements of high-precision experiments such as sensitive cell culture and high-sensitivity immunoassays. Second, the exploration of BSA modification technologies to expand its application scope, such as coupling with specific molecules for targeted detection and drug delivery. Third, the establishment of more efficient and environmentally friendly extraction and purification processes to improve product yield while ensuring product quality consistency. Fourth, the in-depth study of the mechanism of BSA in regulating protein stability and cell growth, providing a theoretical basis for optimizing its application in scientific research and clinical diagnosis.
BSA plays an irreplaceable role in promoting the progress of life science research and ensuring the reliability of experimental results. As a "versatile partner" in the laboratory, it not only improves the success rate of experiments but also enhances the accuracy and reproducibility of experimental data. In protein research, BSA effectively protects protein activity, reducing the loss of target proteins during purification and detection processes. In immunoassays, it significantly reduces false positive signals, laying a solid foundation for the accurate detection of target antigens. In cell culture, especially for sensitive cell lines such as primary cells and stem cells, BSA provides essential nutritional support and maintains the stability of the culture environment, facilitating the in-depth study of cell physiology and pathology. Moreover, as a gold standard for protein quantification, BSA ensures the accuracy of protein concentration determination, which is crucial for various biochemical and molecular biology experiments.
4. Relevant Mechanisms, Research Methods and Product Applications
The versatile functions of BSA are closely related to its unique molecular structure. In terms of protein protection, BSA can form a protective layer on the surface of target proteins through hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds, preventing protein denaturation and aggregation caused by adsorption to container walls or exposure to harsh environmental conditions. As a blocker for non-specific binding, BSA has a high affinity for non-specific binding sites on solid-phase carriers (such as enzyme-labeled plates and membranes). By competitively occupying these sites, it avoids the non-specific adsorption of primary and secondary antibodies, thereby reducing background signals. In protein quantification, BSA has a stable reaction with detection reagents (e.g., BCA, Lowry reagents), and its concentration is linearly related to the detection signal, making it an ideal standard for calibrating unknown protein concentrations. In cell culture, BSA can provide essential nutrients such as amino acids and fatty acids, and at the same time buffer changes in the pH of the culture medium, creating a stable growth environment for cells.
4.2 Product Classification and Selection Guidelines
To meet the diverse experimental needs of researchers, ANT BIO PTE. LTD. provides a series of high-quality BSA products through its sub-brand Absin (focusing on general reagents and kits). The main product classifications and selection guidelines are as follows:
• Standard-grade BSA: Suitable for most routine experiments such as general cell culture, biochemical experiments, and diagnostic reagents. It features high cost-effectiveness and stable performance, meeting the basic needs of daily scientific research.
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• Fatty acid-free BSA: The fatty acid content is ≤0.002%-0.05%, which is specifically designed for experiments such as lipid metabolism research, hormone analysis, and cholesterol detection. It avoids interference from fatty acids in the experimental system, ensuring the accuracy of experimental results.
• Low-endotoxin BSA: The endotoxin content is ≤1-3 EU/mg, suitable for the culture of sensitive cells such as stem cells and primary cells. Low endotoxin content can avoid cell damage caused by endotoxins, maintaining the normal physiological functions of cells.
• Protease-free BSA: No protease residues, suitable for recombinant protein production and experiments sensitive to proteases. It prevents the degradation of target proteins by residual proteases, ensuring the integrity and activity of proteins.
• IgG-free BSA: Does not contain immunoglobulin G (IgG), which is suitable for high-sensitivity immunoassays. It avoids interference from IgG in the immune system, improving the specificity and sensitivity of the assay.
Selection key points: For general cell culture, standard-grade BSA is recommended; for lipid metabolism research, fatty acid-free BSA must be selected; for the culture of sensitive cells such as stem cells, low-endotoxin BSA is the preferred choice; and for high-sensitivity immunoassays, high-purity BSA that is both protease-free and IgG-free should be used.
BSA (Product No.: abs9157) empowers the research on the mechanism of Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EndoMT): In the study "Suppression of PFKFB3-driven glycolysis restrains endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition and fibrotic response" published in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (IF: 38.104), a novel blocking solution system of "1% BSA (abs9157) + TBS" was adopted for immunofluorescence staining of cardiac paraffin tissue sections. The specific applications and effects are as follows:
• Efficient blocking of non-specific adsorption: There are a large number of blank sites on the surface of the solid-phase carrier of cardiac tissue sections. BSA can competitively bind to these sites, avoiding the non-target binding of primary antibodies (e.g., anti-CD31 polyclonal antibody) and secondary antibodies (e.g., anti-α-SMA monoclonal antibody). This significantly reduces the background fluorescence signal, making the boundary between vascular endothelial cells and mesenchymal cells clearer.
• Compatibility with multi-target co-staining: The experiment required simultaneous detection of three different targets (CD31, α-SMA, PFKFB3). The inert molecular structure of BSA does not interact with fluorescent dyes (Alexa Fluor 488/555) nor interfere with the specific binding between antibodies and antigens. Ultimately, high-resolution detection of "multi-marker co-localization on a single section" was achieved, providing direct morphological evidence for verifying that "SAC inhibits EndoMT by downregulating PFKFB3".
ANT BIO PTE. LTD. is dedicated to advancing life science research by providing high-quality, reliable reagents and comprehensive solutions. We recognize the critical role of BSA in scientific research and have established a strict quality control system covering the entire process from raw material selection to finished product inspection. Through our sub-brand Absin, we offer a full range of BSA products with different specifications and characteristics, tailored to meet the diverse needs of researchers worldwide. Our team is committed to providing professional technical support and thoughtful after-sales service, striving to be a trusted partner for researchers in unlocking scientific mysteries and promoting medical progress.
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Product Name |
Product Code |
Specification |
Core Features |
|
abs9157 |
100g |
Universal type, suitable for diagnostic reagents, cell culture, biochemical experiments, etc., with high cost-effectiveness. |
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Bovine Serum Albumin (Cell Culture Grade) |
abs9156 |
500g |
Fatty acid-free, IgG-free, protease-free, low endotoxin, etc. Suitable for sensitive cell culture, protein electrophoresis, enzyme activity determination and other high-precision application scenarios. |
This article is AI-compiled and interpreted based on the original work in DOI: 10.1002/advs.202413562. All intellectual property (e.g., images, data) of the original publication shall belong to the journal and the research team. For any infringement, please contact us promptly and we will take immediate action.
ANT BIO PTE. LTD. – Empowering Scientific Breakthroughs
At ANTBIO, we are committed to advancing life science research through high-quality, reliable reagents and comprehensive solutions. Our specialized sub-brands (Absin, Starter, UA) cover a full spectrum of research needs, from general reagents and kits to antibodies and recombinant proteins. With a focus on innovation, quality, and customer-centricity, we strive to be your trusted partner in unlocking scientific mysteries and driving medical progress. Explore our product portfolio today and elevate your research to new heights.
