Nitrocellulose slide
Encyclopedia
A nitrocellulose
slide (or nitrocellulose film slide) is a biochemical research tool that is used to bind biological material, often protein
, for colorimetric and fluorescence detection assays. For this purpose, a nitrocellulose slide is generally considered to be superior to glass, because it binds a great deal more protein, and protects the tertiary structure
of the protein (and other biological material, ie: cells). Typically, nitrocellulose slides have a thin, opaque film of nitrocellulose on a standard 25mm x 75 mm glass microscope slide
. The film is extremely sensitive to contact, and to foreign material; contact causes deformation and deposition of material, especially liquids. Various configurations of the film are available.
Due to their high surface roughness, conventional white nitrocellulose films scatter and reflect large amounts of excitation and emission light during the fluorescence detection in the microarray scanner. In addition, nitrocellulose exhibits a natural autofluorescence at the detection wavelengths commonly used. Both these factors lead to a high background fluorescent signal from these membrane slides. To overcome this problem, a new process has been developed to generate black membranes that absorb the scattered light, significantly reducing the background auto-fluorescence and thus offering a very low and homogenous auto-fluorescence to achieve a significantly improved dynamic range. These slides are commercially available through Schott AG.. Nevertheless, conventional white nitrocellulose films continue to be the dominant surface for many protein microarray applications because the claims above have not proved relevant to end user requirements. Regardless, nitrocellulose slide manufacturers like Grace Bio-Labs
continue to develop new nitrocellulose surfaces to further optimize their use in protein microarrays.
Note that a nitrocellulose slide is subtly different than a nitrocellulose membrane, which usually filters protein from solution (ie: physician's office pregnancy test
s), but that it serves a similar goal: to detect the presence and/or concentration level of certain biological material.
Nitrocellulose slides are being used mainly in proteomics
to do protein microarray
s with automated systems that print the slides and record results. Microarrays of cell analytes, arrays of cell lysate, antibody
microarrays, tissue printing, immunoarrays, etc. are also possible with the slide.
Nitrocellulose coated glass slides that are suitable for protein microarray applications are available from a number of commercial vendors.
Nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton...
slide (or nitrocellulose film slide) is a biochemical research tool that is used to bind biological material, often protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
, for colorimetric and fluorescence detection assays. For this purpose, a nitrocellulose slide is generally considered to be superior to glass, because it binds a great deal more protein, and protects the tertiary structure
Tertiary structure
In biochemistry and molecular biology, the tertiary structure of a protein or any other macromolecule is its three-dimensional structure, as defined by the atomic coordinates.-Relationship to primary structure:...
of the protein (and other biological material, ie: cells). Typically, nitrocellulose slides have a thin, opaque film of nitrocellulose on a standard 25mm x 75 mm glass microscope slide
Microscope slide
A microscope slide is a thin flat piece of glass, typically 75 by 25 mm and about 1 mm thick, used to hold objects for examination under a microscope. Typically the object is placed or secured on the slide, and then both are inserted together in the microscope for viewing...
. The film is extremely sensitive to contact, and to foreign material; contact causes deformation and deposition of material, especially liquids. Various configurations of the film are available.
Due to their high surface roughness, conventional white nitrocellulose films scatter and reflect large amounts of excitation and emission light during the fluorescence detection in the microarray scanner. In addition, nitrocellulose exhibits a natural autofluorescence at the detection wavelengths commonly used. Both these factors lead to a high background fluorescent signal from these membrane slides. To overcome this problem, a new process has been developed to generate black membranes that absorb the scattered light, significantly reducing the background auto-fluorescence and thus offering a very low and homogenous auto-fluorescence to achieve a significantly improved dynamic range. These slides are commercially available through Schott AG.. Nevertheless, conventional white nitrocellulose films continue to be the dominant surface for many protein microarray applications because the claims above have not proved relevant to end user requirements. Regardless, nitrocellulose slide manufacturers like Grace Bio-Labs
Grace Bio-Labs
Grace Bio-Labs http://www.gracebio.com/ is a global supplier of pharmaceutical, biomedical, and biochemical research products based in Bend, Oregon, United States...
continue to develop new nitrocellulose surfaces to further optimize their use in protein microarrays.
Note that a nitrocellulose slide is subtly different than a nitrocellulose membrane, which usually filters protein from solution (ie: physician's office pregnancy test
Pregnancy test
A pregnancy test attempts to determine whether or not a woman is pregnant.These markers are found in urine and blood, and pregnancy tests require sampling one of these substances. The first of these markers to be discovered, human chorionic gonadotropin , was discovered in 1930 to be produced by...
s), but that it serves a similar goal: to detect the presence and/or concentration level of certain biological material.
Nitrocellulose slides are being used mainly in proteomics
Proteomics
Proteomics is the large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions. Proteins are vital parts of living organisms, as they are the main components of the physiological metabolic pathways of cells. The term "proteomics" was first coined in 1997 to make an analogy with...
to do protein microarray
Protein microarray
A protein microarray, sometimes referred to as a protein binding microarray,provides a multiplex approach to identify protein–protein interactions, to identify the substrates of protein kinases, to identify transcription factor protein-activation, or to identify the targets of biologically active...
s with automated systems that print the slides and record results. Microarrays of cell analytes, arrays of cell lysate, antibody
Antibody
An antibody, also known as an immunoglobulin, is a large Y-shaped protein used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses. The antibody recognizes a unique part of the foreign target, termed an antigen...
microarrays, tissue printing, immunoarrays, etc. are also possible with the slide.
Nitrocellulose coated glass slides that are suitable for protein microarray applications are available from a number of commercial vendors.