Sample prep reagents
Choose your sample prep workflow
Effective sample preparation follows a structured workflow, and selecting the right reagents at each stage is critical for reliable downstream results.
Depending on your experimental goal, workflows may focus on protein analysis or nucleic acid extraction.
Use the guide below to identify your starting point:
Cleanup steps may include deproteinization, desalting, or spin column-based purification, depending on your downstream application.
These categories map directly to the stages below, helping you move seamlessly from sample preparation to downstream analysis such as western blotting, immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, or sequencing.
Lysis buffers
Explore lysis buffers for efficient cell lysis and biomolecule extraction.
Deproteinization kits and spin columns
Discover high-performance deproteinization kits and spin columns for efficient protein removal, fast sample prep, and reliable metabolite recovery.
Protease inhibitor cocktails
Maintain protein integrity with easy-to-use protease inhibitor cocktails targeting serine, cysteine, aspartic, and metalloproteases for accurate downstream analysis.
Selecting reagents based on sample type
Choosing the right sample preparation reagents depends on the biological material you are working with, as different sample types required tailored lysis and stabilization strategies.
These sample-specific considerations can guide selection of the appropriate Abcam reagent category above.
Phosphoprotein and signalling pathway research
For studies involving cell signalling and phosphorylation, preserving protein phosphorylation states during sample preparation is essential.
In addition to protease inhibitors, phosphatase inhibitors are required to prevent dephosphorylation of target proteins.
Key considerations:
- Use phosphatase inhibitors alongside protease inhibitors during lysis
- Minimize processing time to preserve signalling states
- Keep samples cold to reduce enzymatic activity
This is particularly important for:
- Kinase activity studies
- Signal transduction analysis
- Phosphoprotein detection in western blotting or mass spectrometry
Subcellular fractionation by target compartment
Our subcellular fractionation kits support targeted isolation of specific cellular compartments:
Nuclear and cytoplasmic extraction
- Separate nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins
- Ideal for transcription factor and gene regulation studies
Mitochondrial isolation
- Enrich mitochondrial fractions
- Applied in metabolism and apoptosis research
Membrane protein extraction
- Isolate membrane-bound proteins
- Important for receptor and signalling studies
These approaches enable precise analysis of protein localization and function within cells.
Protein assay compatibility considerations
Sample preparation reagents can directly impact downstream protein quantification assays.
Certain lysis buffers and reagents may interfere with:
- BCA assay
- Bradford assay
- Lowry assay
Key considerations:
- Detergents and reducing agents can affect assay accuracy
- Choose lysis buffers compatible with your intended assay
- Validate compatibility before scaling experiments
This is particularly important when preparing samples for western blotting or protein quantification workflows.
Ensuring sample integrity and reproducibility
In scientific research, sample preparation is a vital part to ensure the reproducibility of experiments. We recognize this pivotal role and offer a tailored selection of sample preparation reagents to enhance the efficacy and efficiency of research workflows.
Our products support key processes including cell lysis, protein stabilization, nucleic acid extraction, and subcellular fractionation. From lysis buffers and inhibitors to purification tools and extraction kits, each component is designed to maintain sample integrity through preparation.
Supporting downstream applications
Sample preparation is the foundation for a wide range of downstream techniques, including:
- Western blotting
- Immunoprecipitation (IP) and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP)
- Mass spectrometry
- Flow cytometry