Recycling antibodies in confocal microscopy?? - (Jun/06/2005 )

this is my question...
Can I reuse antibodies (primaries and flourescent-secondaries alexa dyes in 2.5% goat serum) used in one confocal experiment ...say in a duplicate experiment (same cell line, same treatments etc) say within a week or two??
I dont have the heart to just throw them away since I use a high concentration of the antibodies
thanks
p...

Hi Pria,

Potentially it could be done, HOWEVER every reaction you do is consuming a certain quantity of antibodies (bound to your antigen) and therefore reducing your concentration of antibody. To save antibody I would be more inclined to dilute back my starting antibody compared with a reuse and have no idea of the actual antibody concentration.

Scott

thanks scott.
I actually use a 1:100 or 1:200 dilution of the starting antibodies..I dont want to cutback on my starting concentration as I have already standardized my protocol. When I have time I will play around with it and see how it works.
thanks anyway
regards..
p..