Goat anti-Mouse IgM secondary antibody (ab9167)

Dear Abcam: I am in the process of qualifying an assay using your antibodies. Specifically, I was using the Goat polyclonal Ab9167 anti Mouse IgM. I had done most of my work with lot # 67024 and had good luck with it. Recently, I ordered 7 ml of Ab9167, all the same lot # 74485. Two days ago, I started using the new lot, and my ELISA failed to work, and this was the only change. I ran another ELISA, comparing lot # 74485 Ab9167 with a Rat Mab Ab11658 anti Mouse IgM (lot # 63210), and it was clear that the new lot of Ab9167 was failing to bind my Mouse IgM antibody. The Ab11658 worked as it had in the past except the activity was lower when I changed lots. I have some questions that need to be answered. 1. Are the antibodies qualified against their target before being released? If so, what criteria do you use to allow release of a lot?

2. How much lot to lot variability should there be for the same antibody, aside from minor concentration changes? 3. May I return the unsatisfactory lot # 77485 of Ab9167 and exchange it for Ab11658? 4. What is the return procedure? My purchase order number was placed on 10/04/2004 @ 01:38 REQ. NO.: 10304083 PO. NO.: 20401525 Please contact me at 650-812-8987 or by email so we can resolve this problem. Sincerely,

ANSWER:

Thank you for your e-mail. We are very sorry to hear that you are having problem with this antibody ab9167.

We have two new batches (different from 74485) in our stock and will send one vial to you - free of charge. Please do let us know how you are getting on with it.

If you say that the new batch works as it should do, then we will send 6 more vials or offer a credit note whichever you would prefer. First, we would really like to find out if the new batch works properly in your experimental system.

For your information, we have already placed a new order for you and your new order number is 58591.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

How do you use this antibody as a secondary if it is not conjugated? Or is it conjugated?

ANSWER:

Thanks for your patience. Ab9167 - Goat polyclonal to Mouse IgM - is unconjugated. If one of our antibodies is conjugated, it always states that on the datasheet (under conjugation notes) and in the name/description (such as ab5999 - Goat polyclonal to Mouse IgG + IgM + IgA H&L- F(ab)2 Fragment (FITC)). My understanding is that some researchers prefer to conjugate an antibody themselves (for example with some sort of custom conjugate that is not commercially available) and so they would purchase something like this. If you have any more questions, please let me know.

I have some mouse monoclonal Ab's against my protein of interest (none of the IgG's were useful). Can IgM's be used as a primary antibody for immunofluorescence and western blotting?

ANSWER:

Thank you for your enquiry. IgMs can be used as primary antibodies for IF and WB. In the case of ab9167, this antibody has yet to be tested in IF. All tested applications are specified on Abcam product datasheets. If you decide to go ahead and purchase this product, please let us know how you get on and in return we will forward a reward of your choice, typically an Amazon gift voucher.