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Bovine Serum Albumin

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) is a stable, almost unreactive, small protein extracted from bovine serum. BSA is often used as a protein supplement for cell culture as it transports essential nutrients and stabilizes the membrane of the cells. BSA promotes cell growth, stabilizes the pH value of the cell culture medium and binds toxic trace elements. Due to its properties, it is often used as a concentration standard for the calibration of test procedures (e.g. Bradford test, Lowry test, biuret reaction) or as a blocking reagent in immunological detection methods (e.g. ELISA, Western blot, ELISpot) and in immunohistochemistry.

We offer BSA in dissolved form or as a powder. The freeze-dried BSA powder is first fractionated using a modified heat shock process and further purified by isolation from other plasma proteins, lipids and foreign ions using extensive diafiltration and ion exchange steps.

Properties

Low BSE/TSE risk - Origin in the USA or Australia/New Zealand
High batch-to-batch consistency - Maximum purity > 99
High safety and quality - Strict quality control of raw materials, complete documentation

Article list - Solutions

ProductsArticle numberQuantityShop
BSA 30 % solution NS
Low salt content, maximum purity > 99%
BSA.NS.0100
100 ml
BSA.NS.0500
500 ml
BSA 30 % solution FK
Low salt content, free from preservatives, protease-free
BSA.FK.0100
100 ml
BSA.FK.0500
500 ml
BSA.FK.1000
1L/ 10L

Article list - Powder

ProductsArticle numberQuantityShop
BSA - Fraction V
Fraction V of bovine blood (fractionation according to Cohn)
BSA.FV.0050
50 g
BSA.FV.0100
100 g
BSA.FV.0500
500 g
BSA - Low Endotoxin
Endotoxin content ≤ 2 EU/mg
BSA.LE.0050
50 g
BSA.LE.0100
100 g
BSA.LE.0500
500 g
BSA - Fatty acid free
Fatty acid content ≤ 0.05%
BSA.FS.0050
50 g
BSA.FS.0100
100 g
BSA - Protease-free
BSA.PF.0100
100 g
BSA.PF.0500
500 g

Good to know

BSA (commercially purified BSA is also known as 'fraction V') is the most abundant protein in bovine plasma and is primarily used to regulate the colloid osmotic pressure in the blood. It preferentially binds polar molecules such as water and ions (e.g. Ca, K, Zn), but also has an affinity for less polar substances such as fatty acids, hormones, bilirubin and various drugs. BSA therefore also has various functions as a transport protein.

Fractionation according to Cohn

Albumins are often isolated using the so-called 'Cohn fractionation'. Cohn fractionation describes a gentle method for separating plasma proteins by adding ethanol. Ethanol is added to the blood plasma in increasing concentrations and the pH value and temperature are reduced at the same time. Plasma proteins precipitate specifically, depending on the ethanol concentration, pH value and temperature, and can be divided into different fractions:

Fraction I: Fibrinogen, Faxtor XIII
Fraction II: Immunoglobulins
Fraction III: Beta-1 lipoproteins, isoagglutins, prothrombin, mannan-binding lectin, transcobalamin II serum amyloid P and many more.
Fraction IV: Alpha- and beta-globulins
Fraction V: Albumins

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